Action Against Hunger Nigeria (ACF) and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) have launched a new programme to strengthen social protection systems in Borno and Adamawa States, focusing on expanding and improving the social register through community-based and data-driven targeting approaches.
The initiative is funded by the European Union (EU) and the German Government (BMZ) under the SEPIN–SUSI framework. It is designed to support state efforts to identify vulnerable households and improve access to social support, especially in conflict-affected communities in the Northeast.
Speaking at the Kick-off Meeting on the Improving Social Protection in Adamawa and Borno States (ISPAB) through Expansion of the Social Register, the Country Director of ACF, Thierno Samba Diallo, said the programme reaffirmed the commitment of partners to protecting households from poverty, hunger, and shocks.
Diallo described social protection as a “core priority” for ACF, noting that experience from interventions in Jigawa and Kano States had shown that strong institutional systems could reduce vulnerability and help families regain dignity.
He raised concerns over worsening food and nutrition insecurity, citing findings from the October 2025 Cadre Harmonisé analysis, which indicates that about 27.2 million Nigerians are facing Crisis-level food insecurity or worse.
According to him, the situation is severe in the Northeast, where 1.92 million people in Borno are currently in crisis or emergency levels, while Adamawa has about 1.21 million people facing similar conditions.
“The nutrition outlook is equally alarming,” Diallo added, referring to the 2025 IPC Acute Malnutrition analysis, which estimates that 6.4 million children across northern Nigeria will suffer acute malnutrition between October 2025 and September 2026.
Representing GIZ, the Head of Programme, Mrs. Ana Vanambres, said the partnership with ACF goes beyond expanding the social register to improving its credibility, quality, and institutional ownership.
Vanambres, who was represented by Bolaji Aina, explained that the project supports Nigeria’s ongoing social protection reforms and strengthens systems to better reach women, internally displaced persons, returnees, and host communities.
“The social register is the cornerstone for shock-responsive support and effective resource allocation. This initiative strengthens the humanitarian-development-peace nexus needed in Adamawa and Borno,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the National Social Register (NSR), Mr. Mohammed Bala disclosed that the national database is undergoing updates to improve accuracy.
“Of the 19 million households previously captured, over 10 million have already been visited, with 10 million individuals verified through NIMC,” he said, adding that household coordinates are being captured.
Also speaking, the Director of Social Welfare in Borno State, Mrs. Aisha Shattima, described the state’s vulnerable population register as a critical tool to fight hunger and ensure targeted assistance.
“I call for renewed action against hunger, which remains a serious public health concern in Borno,” she said.
In her remarks, the Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Planning Commission, Dr. Mary Paninga, said the programme comes at a crucial time and affirmed the state’s readiness, highlighting innovations in social protection systems locally.
