Abuja: Through a comprehensive portfolio of projects, the International Development Association (IDA) is making significant strides in empowering adolescents and women across Nigeria, thereby driving the country’s human capital development and fostering inclusive growth.
According to World Bank, a series of initiatives such as AGILE, NFWP, IMPACT, ANRiN, NASSP-SU, and NG-CARES are at the forefront of this transformative journey. Launched in 2021, the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) aims to improve secondary education for girls in 18 Nigerian states. By providing safe schools, life skills, digital literacy, and scholarships, AGILE has already benefited over 4 million girls and aims to reach 15 million by 2028, significantly reducing gender gaps and preparing adolescent girls for adulthood and employment.
The Nigeria for Women Program (NFWP), which began in 2019, focuses on empowering women aged 18 and above in six states. Through Women Affinity Groups (WAGs), savings, livelihood grants, and skills training, NFWP has impacted over 1 million women, enabling them to form over 22,000 WAGs, save over 5 billion Naira ($3.4 million), and access markets, credit, and decision-making roles, thus promoting financial independence and social inclusion.
IMPACT, launched in 2021, targets a reduction in under-five mortality by enhancing immunization and malaria services across 28 states. By supporting vaccine delivery, health worker training, and facility upgrades, millions of children and women now benefit from improved access to life-saving health services, with a target to reduce child mortality by 40 percent by 2030.
ANRiN, established in 2019, delivers cost-effective nutrition services to pregnant women, adolescents, and children under five in 11 states. Over 13.5 million individuals, including 9 million children and 4.3 million women, have received nutrition interventions, reducing malnutrition and stunting, and strengthening state capacity for large-scale nutrition programs.
The National Social Safety Net Program Scale-Up (NASSP-SU), launched in 2023, extends shock-responsive cash transfers nationwide, targeting 56 million poor and vulnerable individuals. With over 42 million beneficiaries receiving digital cash transfers, where women constitute 94 percent of regular transfer recipients, the program enhances social registries, digital payments, and resilience to economic shocks.
Finally, NG-CARES, launched in 2021, supports over 17 million poor households and small businesses in the post-COVID-19 era. It offers cash transfers, food security, grants, and public works, benefiting over 12 million people with basic services and reaching 3.5 million farmers, thereby building resilience and supporting economic recovery nationwide.
Nigerian women and girls continue to face significant challenges, including early marriage, gender-based violence, and limited access to education and financial services. Improving health, education, skills, and economic opportunities for Nigeria’s adolescent girls and women is crucial for its economic development and growth.
The World Bank Group’s comprehensive strategy over the past decade has aimed at empowering Nigeria’s women and girls by increasing their human capital and economic opportunities. Collaborations with entities like the Gates Foundation and UN agencies have scaled financial inclusion and private sector engagement. The World Bank’s coordinated, long-term approach has driven substantial progress in closing gender gaps and building human capital for Nigeria’s future.
In conclusion, projects like AGILE, NFWP, IMPACT, ANRiN, NASSP-SU, and NG-CARES have demonstrated the importance of adaptable grants, capacity-building, and collective action, emphasizing the need for addressing social norms through community engagement. The World Bank Group’s 2024-2030 Gender Strategy aims to further accelerate gender equality as a cornerstone for sustainable development in Nigeria.