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The Importance of Sesame Seeds for Nigeria’s Economy

Nigeria is a country rife with poverty. Between 1980 and 2010, it saw a drastic 153.6% increase in poverty, even though its per capita GDP rose by about 19% during this period. According to a recent World Bank Report, around four in 10 Nigerians were living in poverty as of 2022, many of them in Northern Nigeria.

However, the production of sesame seeds in Northern Nigeria has been providing hope for the region’s poor. The seed is in major demand around the world and, according to the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Nigeria was the world’s sixth-largest exporter of sesame seeds in 2021, making sesame seeds the country’s second most lucrative export after cocoa. With much sesame seed cultivation concentrated in the north and international demand for sesame seeds expected to continue rising, the seeds are playing a key role in reducing poverty in Northern Nigeria and improving the country’s economy as a whole.

Economic Importance of Sesame Seed in Nigeria

The flowering plant that produces sesame seeds can thrive in Northern Nigeria because it is resistant to drought. It is a high-value crop because both the seeds and the oil extracted from them are common food staples around the world, used in sweets, breads and everyday cooking. Additionally, a variety of non-food products, including ulcer and burn medicines and aerosol sprays, incorporate sesame oil. Lower-quality sesame oil can be used in making lubricants, while the shafts from processed seeds can be used as animal feed.

Nigeria exports an estimated 90% of its sesame seeds, with China and Japan being major importers. According to Sheriff Balogun, president of the National Sesame Seed Association of Nigeria, the country generates $700 million from sesame exports yearly, which equates to about $1400 per metric tonne of exported seed.

While several years ago, only a few Nigerian states were cultivating sesame seed, it is now produced in 26 states, with the country’s top producers being in the north. Exports to Japan, especially, have had a positive impact on Nigeria’s economy. Japan imports about 40% of its sesame seeds from Nigeria, and the trade volume between the two countries reached $1 billion in 2022. Between 2020 and 2021, Nigeria’s income from agricultural exports rose by an estimated 57.02%, a boost that sesame exports, which increased from 98.27 billion naira to 113.2 billion naira, played critical roles in propelling.

Efforts To Boost the Nigerian Economy with Sesame Seed

Despite the poverty and food insecurity that many in Northern Nigeria face, there have been ongoing efforts to help farmers in the region thrive so that they can build a better future for themselves and their families. For instance, the FAO and World Food Programme (WFP) have partnered to help farmers in Northeastern Nigeria improve food production, with the goal of ensuring them a secure source of both income and sustenance. By supplying seeds, fertilizer and food to nourish households until a successful harvest, the initiative provided vital support for all 67,000 inhabitants of the town of Rann in 2018.

More recently, the Japanese Government announced plans to invest $30 billion in Nigeria and other African countries in the next three years. Japan hopes to help further boost Nigeria’s economy and strengthen mutually beneficial trade relations between both nations.

Additionally, the Central Bank of Nigeria has allocated 21 billion Naira to expand Nigeria’s production and export of sesame seeds and cocoa. The initiative aims to increase the country’s foreign exchange income through agricultural commodities, in part by providing loans to smallholder farmers.

Looking Ahead

Though many Nigerians, especially in the north, are struggling with poverty and food insecurity, sesame seed cultivation presents hope for the country’s future economic growth. With continued national and international support, Nigeria’s sesame seed industry shows signs of expanding and paving the way for secure livelihoods and a thriving economy for Nigerians.

– Chidinma Nwoha

Photo: Flickr

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Women in Tech in Nigeria: Empowerment Through Technology

Women in TechIn 2021, women accounted for approximately 49.3% of Nigeria’s population yet only about 48% of Nigerian women aged 15 and older participated in the labor force, a rate that has dropped from about 57% in 2011. In fact, female unemployment in Nigeria has risen from about 3.7% in 2011 to 8.8% in 2021. This is why the work of organizations such as Women in Tech in Nigeria (WITIN) is so important. Women need support to gain economic independence, and encouraging female advancement in one of the fastest-growing industries could not be more fitting.

What is Women in Tech in Nigeria?

Women in Tech in Nigeria is both a nonprofit and an association, established for the purpose of empowering women girls and women through technology. It advocates for female leadership in the tech industry, equips women with digital skills, supports female entrepreneurship and campaigns for reforms that promote gender equality.

The categories of women WITIN targets include university students at any level of study in order to foster their interest in the tech industry, female graduates early in their careers, women returning to the workforce to whom WITIN provides returning programs and professionals switching from other industries to the tech industry. WITIN also caters to female entrepreneurs looking to technology for business growth, female veterans in the technology industry and rural women seeking jobs.

The organization partners with schools and educators to promote STEM subjects among girls and provides internship and volunteer opportunities to directly mentor them. Men who want to support women in technology can do so through WITIN’s #HeforShe movement. By bringing together women from different backgrounds in technology, WITIN has created a support system for women in the tech industry.

Recent Achievement

In 2022, Women in Tech in Nigeria stood as the runner-up for the WSIS Prize due to its WomenPRIDE.Africa program. WSIS refers to the World Summit on the Information Society, a U.N.-backed annual forum for those using information and communications technology (ICT) to promote sustainable development. The WomenPRIDE.Africa program promotes digital outreach to marginalized women, giving them access to the digital economy and teaching them marketable digital skills.

Notable Leadership

Martha Omoekpen Alade, the current executive director of Women in Tech in Nigeria, officially established the nonprofit association in 2009. She partnered with Google in 2011 to set up the Grassroots Women Empowerment Through ICT (GWEIT) online platform for women-run small businesses in rural Nigeria and these businesses continue to have an online presence even after the termination of the platform.

Alade led WITIN to partner with USAID and Intel in their respective initiatives, Women and the Web Alliance and She Will Connect, to empower women through technology, create entrepreneurship opportunities for young women in Nigeria and more. In 2019, Alade received the Community Impact Award at the Technology Playmaker Awards held annually by the digital tech lead Booking.com for WITINs efforts to harness technology to uplift 20,000 impoverished girls and women by 2022.

Looking Ahead

As the world grows more and more digitally interconnected, technology has evolved from a tool of economic development to one that promotes social and political development. Technology plays a critical role in the advancement of women’s rights and Women in Tech in Nigeria is one of many examples that solidifies this. It is, therefore, crucial to support advocacy efforts for gender equality and eliminate gender gaps in all industries altogether. This will be to the benefit of the communities in which empowered women live.

– Kena Irungu
Photo: WikkiCommons

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Quadloop Tackles Energy Poverty

Quadloop Tackles Energy PovertyQuadloop is a Nigerian company turning electronic waste into solar products to tackle the country’s energy crisis and toxic e-waste and chemical hazards. Dozie Igweilo, a co-founder of Quadloop, emphasizes the harmful impact of e-waste on vulnerable populations in Nigeria. Through efforts such as turning e-waste into sustainable products, Quadloop tackles energy poverty in Africa.

Inequitable E-Waste in Central Africa

Over 95% of Nigeria’s 250,000 tons of e-waste contain dangerous compounds such as mercury, lead and cadmium. Improper disposal of hazardous materials has been shown to pollute and contaminate the environment, air, water and food sources, endangering e-waste workers and residents close to landfills. In extreme cases, toxic heavy metals have threatened child development and led to neurological damage. The European Union and U.N. also report on the inequity of e-waste: Developed countries offload their waste into Africa.

In Africa, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania receive the most e-waste from developed countries. Due to inequitable policy and waste management systems, these countries cannot handle the surplus of waste from other countries. The following e-waste pollution leads to environmental contamination and subsequently endangers human health. The ongoing energy crisis is another concern: The Energy Progress Report of 2022 estimates that “92 million Nigerians lack access to electricity from the national grid.” With an energy grid that has already broken down five times in 2022 so far, policymakers and companies see renewable energy as a prime solution.

What Quadloop Does

Quadloop tackles energy poverty by collecting e-waste and reusing it to create renewable energy products. The company strives to reduce the buildup of e-waste in central Africa by using a circular economy model to turn e-waste into electricity for Nigerians lacking access.

An early prototype released in 2018, the Bliss Solar Lamp, provided low-income and vulnerable communities with clean energy using circuit LED batteries and replacing fire-hazardous kerosene lamps. Since then, the company has responded to feedback and researched further to create a more efficient and sustainable lamp design.

Quadloop later created IDunnu, a solar wall lantern from 70% recycled waste. The portable lantern’s components include a remote control, an automatic daylight sensor, a USB charging port and a rechargeable 10,400 mAh lithium-ion battery.

Projected Growth

Igweilo used his technological and entrepreneurial experience to start Quadloop, with the initial goal of solving rising e-waste and poor energy distribution in Nigeria. The company seeks educational programs, such as training at Lagos business schools, to increase awareness and encourage jobs in renewable energy.

Quadloop has seen significant recognition for creating reliable and renewable energy. In 2020, the Nigeria Climate Innovation Center granted Quadloop $10,000 for future development. In 2021, Igweilo won a Meaningful Business 100 award recognizing entrepreneurs making progress toward the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals. Now, Quadloop’s goal is to become the foremost indigenous company working toward eliminating the issue of e-waste in Africa. The company aims to expand to neighboring countries like Tanzania and Ghana to help with their similar energy issues.

– Nethya Samarakkodige
Photo: Flickr

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Nigeria’s New Lagos-Ibadan Railway

lagos-ibadan railwayThe dilapidated state of Nigeria’s roads, train tracks and other infrastructure has kept 40% of Nigerians under the poverty line as of 2019. In February 2021, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari requested the equivalent of $2.6 billion in funding to address this consistent roadblock, dedicating the majority of the funds to completing a new Lagos-Ibadan Railway. Finished in mid-June 2021, the Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway will efficiently connect Nigeria’s largest city with its inland communities. The Lagos-Ibadan Standard Gauge Railway will aid Nigeria’s impoverished communities by facilitating job creation and increasing national connectivity.

Wealth and Job Creation

The need to create and maintain the railway infrastructure created many jobs for Nigerians. Over its construction period of three years, when builders faced many obstacles that required innovative solutions, the railway provided employment to more than 20,000 Nigerians. Staffing, conducting and maintaining the quality of the Lagos-Ibadan Railway will create an additional 7,000 jobs.

Furthermore, projections determine that the railway will attract many national and foreign investors, especially in Ibadan. Studies by the International Journal of Business and Management Invention and Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development display the large impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on poverty reduction in Nigeria.

A streamlined connection to Lagos will help Ibadan grow and become more of a trade hub. The resulting increased FDI will supplement domestic savings and expand local technology and managerial skills for the economic development of low-income areas.

Transportation and Connectivity

The railroad will extend the lifespan of existing roads and means of transport. It will also lessen congestion for product transportation, minimize maintenance costs and ultimately aid local producers in sustaining a comfortable lifestyle. In 2018, three million passengers utilized Nigerian trains as regular transportation. About 42,000 people utilized the Lagos-Ibadan Railway in June 2021 alone.

Between Lagos and Ibadan, the railway connects eight cities and their surrounding areas. Connecting rural areas to Nigeria’s industry hubs will help incorporate rural populations into urban markets.  For example, a direct connection to the Apapa port facilitates the transportation of goods from Nigeria’s rural areas. About 70% of Nigeria’s workforce are farmers. Direct connection to a port will improve farm productivity, increase annual GDP and reduce poverty.

Looking Forward

Expanding the country’s railway network by 157 kilometers and increasing city access for millions of citizens is a step forward for poverty reduction in Nigeria. Thanks to this infrastructure update, Nigerians celebrate tens of thousands of new jobs, increased investment and more efficient transportation. The Lagos-Ibadan Railway excites Nigerians who hope to continue the spread of connectivity across the country.

– Julia Fadanelli
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Global Citizen Fellowship Fights Poverty

Global Citizen FellowshipThe Global Citizen Fellowship is dedicated to creating solutions that will help alleviate global poverty. The program is based in Nigeria and South Africa. It focuses on encouraging members of the younger generation to join the fight in ending extreme poverty. Some members of the Global Citizen Fellowship have gone far and beyond to help achieve this goal. The program’s #MoveTheWorld Mondays social media movement inspires more people to get involved in ending extreme poverty.

What to Know About The Global Citizen Fellowship

The Global Citizen Fellowship began in 2018 and is open to citizens ages 21 through 25 who reside in Nigeria and South Africa. The inspiration behind creating the program was based on young citizens of Africa suffering from barriers such as unemployment. As a part of the BeyGOOD Initiative, the Global Citizen Fellowship prioritizes a focus on extreme poverty. The purpose of the Global Citizen Fellowship is to provide experiences that will help young people fight to end extreme poverty. One of the components of the Global Citizen Fellowship includes skills development. The 2021 program began in July and will continue through the year.

Global Citizen Fellowship’s Advisory Council

Some of the young people involved in this year’s program are currently members of the advisory council. Bonang Matheba founded the Bonang Matheba Bursary Fund, which advocates for issues such as providing free sanitary products. Aisha Yesufu is involved in the Bring Back Our Girls Movement and has held an entrepreneurial role for more than two decades. Charmaine Houvet is Cisco Africa’s public policy director and works with projects like the Global Broadband Plan for Refugees Project. Hamzat Lawal dedicates efforts to supporting the younger generation and is the leader of Connected Development. Nozipho Tshabalala is a phenomenal leader in the broadcasting field and works with Global Citizen, Learn Reflect Mobilise Grow and the World Bank. Tumi Sole is a corporate attorney fighting for social justice with his organization #CountryDuty.

One Way to Support Global Citizen

One trend created by Global Citizen Live will be beneficial to supporting the fight to end extreme poverty. Global Citizen recently created #MoveTheWorld Mondays to post on social media platforms. The purpose of #MoveTheWorld Mondays is to share one action weekly on Global Citizen’s accounts that can help end extreme poverty. People will have the opportunity to participate in the cause by taking actions shared in each post. One of the benefits of participating in #MoveTheWorld Mondays includes being able to attend events.

The Global Citizen Fellowship, a program created in 2018, encourages young people to join the fight to end extreme poverty. Many Africans, especially the younger generation, suffer from unemployment and other barriers. Therefore, it is important for people to contribute to fighting extreme poverty. Members of the Global Citizen Fellowship’s advisory council express their passion for helping their communities through their occupations. Global Citizen’s #MoveTheWorld Mondays can inspire more people to participate in ending extreme poverty.

– Chloe Moody
Photo: Flickr

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Wild4Life: Expanding the Reach of Health Care

Healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa has a direct impact on poverty in the region. When adults are too ill to work, they and their children can quickly fall into extreme poverty, which leads to hunger and malnutrition. Around 46% of Africa’s population lives on less than $1 a day; an even larger proportion than was the case 15 years ago. Despite these challenges, organizations like Wild4Life are working to expand the reach of healthcare into these underserved communities.

Poverty and Health Care in sub-Saharan Africa

Sub-Saharan Africa is the poorest region in the continent. Close to 60 million children under the age of 17 work instead of attending school in an effort to help their families rise out of poverty. Every fifth child is forced into child labor. This effectively means that when grown, that person will lack education and most likely remain in poverty. This social plight creates a vicious cycle in which chronic malnutrition, growth disorders and physical and mental underdevelopment occur. These health issues further limit an individual’s opportunity to earn a living later in life. In addition, 25 million Africans are infected with HIV, including almost 3 million children — the highest rate of infection in the world. Many of these children have lost one or both parents and are living on the streets.

Government expenditure on healthcare in Africa is very low; typically about $6 per person. This means that medical workers experience huge pressures, operating with little-to-no equipment or means to reach rural populations, Such challenges make healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa difficult to provide.

Good News about Health Care in Rural Communities

The good news is that organizations such as Wild4Life are working to reverse these disturbing healthcare trends. The NGO’s mission is to expand the reach of health services to underserved remote, rural communities in sub-Saharan Africa that have limited or no access to healthcare. To achieve this goal, Wild4Life has developed an incredibly innovative service delivery model. The aim of this model is to reach more people than previously would have been possible. Wild4Life works to establish the basic building blocks of a healthcare system. It believes that a well-functioning system has a lasting effect on a community’s overall health and longevity.

Expansion to Twelve African Countries

The Wild4Life model involves partnering with organizations that are already established in remote locations, and that have put together links with people in the local community. This approach leverages the existing infrastructure, social ties and knowledge bank in cooperation with Wild4Life’s network of health providers. This allows support and treatment to impact some of the hardest-to-reach people and places on earth.

Wild4Life began as an HIV/AIDS program in Zimbabwe, but it has expanded throughout sub-Saharan Africa.  Now operating in twelve countries — Botswana, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe —the organization delivers extremely low-cost healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa and provides interventions that are scalable yet sustainable.

Community Partnerships to Improve Health Care

The goals of the NGO include assessing the needs of rural populations and targeting the health issues that most affect them. It also seeks to build clinics in remote areas; strengthen rural healthcare networks; provide quality healthcare and improve community partnerships so that creative ways to address problems become permanent solutions. For example, Wild4Life trains community leaders to mobilize local demands for healthcare services and advocate for quality care from clinic staff and maintain facilities. This results in significant infrastructure improvements. The NGO also organizes events around such topics as improving healthy behaviors and coming up with strategies for the best way to use clinic funds.

Five Clinics in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe alone, Wild4Life has a network of five clinics. These clinics have achieved remarkable results, including hundreds of lives saved by new diagnosis and treatment of HIV as well as other preventable diseases. The organization believes that there is not one single technology or innovation that will create a lasting impact on the health of people living in rural communities. Instead, it partners with all levels of the healthcare system to locate the gaps in the extant setup. By doing this, it hopes to leave behind a resilient, local healthcare system for those who need it most.

During comprehensive clinical mentoring, well-trained, multi-disciplinary teams composed of six specialists comprehensively mentor clinic staffs on primary care conditions. These conditions include HIV, TB, Integrated Management of Childhood Illness and testing for anemia. Such services also aid in labor and delivery. This process also covers monitoring and evaluation of data quality, pharmacy management and clinic management over a two-year period.

Scaling Up to Improve Healthcare in Africa

Wild4Life has significantly scaled up since its inception, through government, nonprofit and for-profit connections. It has gone from delivering care to remote areas, to building healthcare networks in rural populations. As a result of its expansion plan, 70,000 more people will have access to high-quality health services in their communities. By training clinicians and community members in the most up-to-date medical care delivery, the NGO is changing the way that rural healthcare in sub-Saharan Africa is delivered.

– Sarah Betuel

Photo: Flickr

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The END Fund: Treating Neglected Tropical Diseases

the END FundNeglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of diseases caused by a variety of pathogens that are common in low-income regions. The World Health Organization WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) categorize 20 diseases as NTDs. They affect more than one billion people around the world, with more than a third of people affected by NTDs living in Africa. While about one-sixth of the world’s population suffers from at least one NTD, more attention is often brought to other diseases, such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. While these other diseases require a high level of attention, NTDs need prioritization too. The effects of NTDs can last for decades if proper care is not sought out as many have the ability to bring on permanent blindness and disfigurement. It is of the utmost importance that NTDs are addressed and one such organization putting in the work is the END Fund.

The END Fund

The END Fund is a nonprofit organization that seeks to protect the lives of people at risk of NTDs. It delivers treatments by working with local partners, understanding that these groups have regional expertise and know the needs of their area best.

The END Fund helps its partners design programs so that they can expand their capacity to collect important data regarding NTDs. Further, the END Fund provides technical support and monitors progress so its partners can fight disease in the most effective way possible.

It also collaborates with non-governmental organizations and seeks to involve all stakeholders in order to improve the lives of those at risk of contracting NTDs. The END Fund is active across many countries in sub-Saharan Africa as well as India and Afghanistan. It has programs in Nigeria, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia and others.

NTDs in Nigeria

The country with the greatest prevalence of NTDs in Africa is Nigeria. With a population of 195 million people, five of the most common NTDs are present: intestinal worms, lymphatic filariasis, river blindness, schistosomiasis and trachoma. These diseases can cause severe pain that inhibits people from going about their daily lives. Children miss out on their education and adults miss out on economic opportunities. NTDs can cause the already impoverished to sink even deeper into poverty.

In 2013, the END Fund arrived in Nigeria. Two years later, it partnered with Helen Keller International to support local partners, the Amen Foundation and Mission to Save the Helpless (MITOSATH). It has since helped build the capacity of these groups so that they can respond to the issue of NTDs even stronger. It engaged with local leaders across many levels to make people aware of the treatment plans that are available. Among traditional groups, leaders took medication in front of many people to show that it was safe.

The End Fund’s Impact

In 2019 alone, the END Fund was able to treat 121 million people. The END Fund also trained 2.7 million healthcare workers between 2012 and 2019. Its workers have performed almost 31,000 surgeries during that same time period, with the treatments valued at more than $1 billion.

NTDs pose a great threat to people in developing countries. The END Fund has been able to accomplish a lot through its collaborative projects in Nigeria and across other countries. The END Fund will continue to work toward its vision of ensuring that people at risk of NTDs can live healthy lives.

– Evan Driscoll
Photo: Flickr

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How COVID-19 Has Slowed Nigeria’s Access to Medicine

How COVID-19 Has Slowed Nigeria’s Access to MedicineNigeria, a country with both bustling cities and green plains stretching for miles, has earned the nickname “Giant of Africa.” Although Nigeria isn’t the largest country in Africa, it has the largest population with 206 million people calling it home. Even though the population in Nigeria has grown in 2020 by 2.58%, the country still has a high mortality rate and life expectancy of 54 years. Nigeria has one of the biggest HIV pandemics as well as a high risk for malaria. Access to medicine and vaccines have always been limited in Nigeria; however, COVID-19 has exacerbated the issues facing Nigeria’s healthcare system. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased restrictions on international trade, which has greatly impacted Nigeria’s pharmaceutical needs for people with pre-existing conditions, particularly those with HIV/AIDS or malaria. As 70% of Nigeria’s medical products are shipped from China and India, COVID-19 has interrupted an important part of Nigeria’s basic health needs.

Healthcare in Nigeria

Nigeria has always had trouble accessing medication as the country has a great dependency on imported products. According to Medrxiv, a server for health sciences, in 2013, only 25% of kids under the age of 2 had been vaccinated. In an attempt to secure a more efficient healthcare system, Nigeria began to manufacture its own pharmaceuticals but lately, production has been on a decline due to high prices, poor quality and a shortfall in access to medicine. Nigeria has 115 pharmaceutical manufacturers but they mainly rely on large imports from neighboring countries.

Before the virus swept across Nigeria, the country only had 350 ventilators and beds for the entire population. In April 2020, Nigeria obtained 100 more ventilators. But, what has actually been done to improve Nigeria’s basic health needs?

Changing Nigeria’s Healthcare

In 2018, four policy documents were presented to Nigeria by the Federal Minister of Health. The four policies acknowledge Nigerians need for access to medication and control of narcotics.

  1. The National Policy for Controlled Medicines — This policy, with support from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the European Union (EU), aims to improve healthcare services in Nigeria. By properly training healthcare professionals, narcotics can be safely monitored for medical and scientific use while avoiding abuse. The policy ensures that Nigeria will have better access to medication so citizens do not have to silently suffer. In 2012, as reported by The Global Access to Pain Relief Initiative, Nigeria only used 0.01% of narcotics to manage pain. The UNODC states, “This was largely attributed to limited or poor quantification of annual estimates, inadequate and irregular release of funds for procurement, limited knowledge and poor attitude, or issues of fear and stigma among many healthcare workers and the general populace.”
  2. National Guidelines for Quantification of Narcotic Medicines — This policy is continuous of Nigeria’s efforts to have access to “narcotic medicines.” It is a way to know how much medicine is required to fulfill Nigeria’s basic health needs. By creating a standardized system, Nigeria can estimate which and how many narcotics are needed for the country.
  3. National Guidelines for the Estimation of Psychotropic Substances and Precursors — This policy regulates “psychotropic substances,” such as alcohol, caffeine and marijuana. These drugs, according to the UNODC, can be used for “pain management including treatment of neuropathic pain and in the management of obstetric emergencies including hemorrhage, thus critical in reducing maternal deaths.” The policy verifies that these substances are and will be used for legal use only.
  4. National Minimum Standards of Drug Dependence — In the past, Nigeria treated addiction as a psychiatric condition or mental illness. Although Nigeria does not have the data to see how many people in the country have a drug dependency, treatments of addiction are changing. The policy’s goal is to have adequate care such as “counseling, vocational and occupational rehabilitation” available across Nigeria.

According to a 2020 Statista analysis, the budget for Nigeria’s healthcare is expected to increase, eventually reaching 1477 billion Nigerian naira by 2021. This can create more opportunities for Nigeria’s healthcare system, increase access to medicine and fulfill Nigeria’s basic health needs.

– Jessica LaVopa
Photo: Flickr

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The #EndSARS Movement in Nigeria

The EndSARS Movement in NigeriaSocial media is becoming a diversified platform that has been vital to the fight against police brutality in Nigeria. Nigerian citizens have experienced years of unjust violence by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), including armed robberies, rapes, torture and unsystematic killings. For Nigerian citizens, media censorship on television has led to the circulation of the hashtag #EndSARS on social media sites. People have taken to Twitter, Instagram, Tik Tok and other platforms to post news and videos of the violence incurred. Through the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria, young Nigerian activists are emerging and are critical to the new wave of international awareness.

What is SARS?

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a police force, was assembled in 1992 by the Nigerian Government to cope with the failings of the Nigerian Police Force. Emboldened by their power to arrest and monitor crimes, the group has increasingly used its authority to engage in dangerous tactics and fear-mongering.

Among protests and complaints, Amnesty International has investigated and determined numerous unlawful killings and human rights abuses. 2015 marked the first set of promises, made by Nigerian President Buhari, to disband and restructure SARS. However, after years of promising reform to appease citizens, the government has not implemented any effective actions to deter the unit.

SARS has promoted corruption and violence toward citizens, especially against an evolving population of youth. There are many reports of youth being harassed by SARS for their new technology, clothing styles, hairstyles and tattoos. In protest, Nigeria’s youth have been leaders and catalysts in organizing the #EndSARS movement. A viral video in December 2017 depicted a murder committed by SARS, and since then youth have consistently used social media to document violence done by SARS. A revival of the hashtag #EndSARS occurred in October 2020 and has created a resurgence of conversation about the issue.

Leading the International Awareness of SARS

With a limitation on media coverage of protests and SARS criticism, Nigerians have taken to social media to spread the message. Protestors have created a unified voice among supporters without endorsing an individual leader of the movement. Private citizens with their phones are the main information source and record first-hand videos of the violence. For example, an Instagram Live of protestors being shot and wounded by Nigerian military officials garnered global media coverage. The shift from traditional media to social media has been an advantage to the #EndSARS movement.

The grassroots movement has diverted from the repressive Nigerian media and toward an inclusive citizen-led campaign online. Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok are serving as major platforms for Nigerians to organize protests, volunteer and donate. Twitter users offered to pay phone bills of protestors to continue the spread of information online. Other protestors began crowdfunding donations to supply food to protestors, posting specific details relating to peaceful protests or sharing medical aid, legal aid and mental health hotlines. The variety of evidence and resources circulating on social media has bolstered the international podium of #EndSARS.

The turmoil of police brutality in Nigeria has been fiercely combatted by a new generation of youth activists. Social media has ignited an international drive to end the corruption of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. Tangible change is coming about with protests and aid spread globally on social media. The Nigerian youth are using technology to their advantage and are moving to end a period of instability through the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria.

– Eva Pound
Photo: Flickr

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The Potential of CCT Programs in Nigeria

CCT Programs in NigeriaDespite having some of the greatest potential for development in Africa and a vast amount of resources, Nigeria remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Over the years, the Nigerian Government has attempted to implement various poverty alleviation strategies in order to diminish poverty. Unfortunately, little progress has been made. However, more recently, the Nigerian Government has started implementing a new strategy in order to fight the persistent poverty in the country through Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Programs. It is hopeful that CCT programs in Nigeria will bring lasting benefits for impoverished communities.

The Success Rates of CCT Programs

Around the world, CCT programs have become increasingly popular and have been overwhelmingly successful. Positive results have also been seen in certain regions in Africa. As explained by the World Bank, “Cash transfers targeted to the poor, particularly children and other vulnerable groups, now help millions of Africans to support their basic consumption, avoid destitution and respond to shocks.” To achieve this success, most programs focus efforts toward providing cash transfers to poor families with children. In return for these transfers, families must maintain their children’s school attendance as well as keep up with regular health checkups. As a result, the country profits through an increase in the value of its human capital.

The COPE CCT Program

Beginning in 2007, the Nigerian Government implemented the In Care of the People (COPE) CCT program, which at the time was the only nationwide government-sponsored CCT program. The program was launched across 12 Nigerian states and aimed to break intergeneration poverty through cash transfers with the conditions that households maintained their children’s school attendance of at least 80% and receive regular immunizations and healthcare visits.

In the development of COPE, one of the main goals that the Nigerian Government was hoping to achieve was to reduce poverty short-term and promote an increase in the value of human capital in the long-term. Although many Nigerian citizens benefited from the CCT program, there were complications in the execution of the program. One key example that is necessary for the program to succeed is to extend the length of time in which households participate in the program. When first implemented, the program only lasted a year for participating families. However, in order to effectively assist these households, it is important that the Nigerian Government expand the period of time in which families can benefit from the cash transfers.

The Kano State CCT Program

While the COPE CCT program was designed to impact different states across Nigeria, the Kano CCT program took a different approach. The Kano State government implemented a pilot of this CCT program from 2010 to 2012 in order to increase female school attendance and reduce female drop-out rates in the specific region.

Although the COPE CCT program did not have overwhelming success, the Kano CCT program did see some success. For example, data from the World Bank shows that the number of girls enrolled in school slightly increased from 47% in 2009 to 50%  in 2011. However, there were also unexpected decreases in rates despite the CCT program. In Kano, in 2009, 47% of girls enrolled in class one enrolled in class six in, while in 2011, only 41% of those enrolled in class one were in class six.

Regardless of conflicting outcomes, the World Bank still rates the program’s efficiency as substantial. In Kano, the savings from the CCT program were also spent on the construction of additional boreholes and toilets in the schools.

Although the program itself still needs further development, the Kano CCT program has the potential to benefit households living in poverty as well as further improve female education attendance and drop-out rates.

The Potential of CCT Programs in Nigeria

Although these CCT programs still need improvement with regard to execution and development, the programs show great promise in reducing poverty rates, breaking intergeneration cycles of poverty and increasing the value of human capital in Nigeria. This is especially hopeful considering the success of the programs in other African countries. Because these programs target the health and education of youth living in poverty, these strategies help to create a strong foundation for children, thus creating a path for them to escape poverty in the future. With continued efforts to improve and develop these CCT programs in Nigeria, there is potential to greatly expand and improve Nigeria’s economy over time and reduce poverty in the region.

– Caroline Dunn
Photo: Flickr