Ongoing efforts by President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address the myriad of humanitarian challenges gained a boost on Thursday with the launch of the 2025-2030 National Policy on Cash and Voucher Assistance for vulnerable groups across the country.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Hon. Yusuf Sununu, who unveiled the policy in Abuja, expressed the Ministry’s resolve to ensure that the benefits of cash and voucher assistance reach every deserving household across Nigeria.
The Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yakubu Kofarmata, reiterated the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to lead and coordinate efforts that ensure the effective rollout and monitoring of this policy across all levels.
He described the official launch of the National Policy on Cash and Voucher Assistance in Humanitarian Context and its Implementation Plan as the culmination of a collective vision, dedication, and collaboration among all humanitarian actors and partners who have worked tirelessly to build a more efficient, coordinated, and people-centred response system in Nigeria.
Hon. Sununu stated that the policy formulation process was ‘guided by the shared understanding that cash and voucher assistance represents one of the most dignified, transparent, and empowering modalities for humanitarian aid delivery, ensuring that people affected by crises have access to essential goods and services and make choices based on their needs and priorities, while stimulating local markets and contributing to early recovery and resilience.
‘Through years of consultations, technical reviews, and validation sessions, the Cash Working Group, in collaboration with our partners, worked diligently to ensure that this policy reflects global best practices while being uniquely adapted to Nigeria’s context and operational realities.
‘The National Policy on Cash and Voucher Assistance represents a major milestone in Nigeria’s humanitarian architecture. It provides a strategic and operational framework to ensure that cash-based interventions are coherent, accountable, and harmonised across all actors – government, UN agencies, NGOs, and development partners alike.
‘The overarching importance of this policy lies in its ability to institutionalise cash and voucher assistance as a mainstream humanitarian tool, ensuring that support to affected populations is efficient, transparent, and aligned with national priorities. Beyond efficiency, this policy is about empowerment, the restoration of dignity, choice, and self-determination to households in distress.
‘As we unveil the 2025-2030 policy and its implementation plan today, I wish to emphasise that its impact will not only be realised through collective action but through our shared commitment to operationalise and institutionalise it at the sub-national level, where the realities of humanitarian response are most acute.
‘Therefore, I call on all state governments, local government authorities, and our partners across the humanitarian and development spectrum to embrace and mainstream this policy within their operational frameworks. Let us strengthen coordination, promote accountability, and ensure that the benefits of cash and voucher assistance reach every deserving household across Nigeria.
‘This launch should mark the beginning of a new phase – one where humanitarian assistance is more coherent, dignified, and impactful, leaving no one behind in our national commitment to reduce poverty and human suffering.’
While applauding the tireless efforts of development partners and sub-national governments in addressing the myriad of humanitarian challenges, Hon. Sununu expressed optimism in the ability of stakeholders to ‘transform humanitarian assistance into a tool that not only saves lives but also builds resilience, promotes inclusion, and accelerates recovery. Distinguished guests, the task ahead is clear: to turn this policy from paper to practice, from vision to reality, and from promise to progress.’
On his part, the Director of Humanitarian Services described the launch of the National Policy on Cash and Voucher Assistance in Humanitarian Context and its Implementation Plan as ‘a milestone in Nigeria’s humanitarian reform journey – a testament to our shared vision of building a system that is not only efficient and accountable but also dignified and people-centred, in line with global humanitarian principles and the Sphere standards of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, and independence.
‘This policy marks a strategic shift in the way humanitarian assistance is conceptualised and delivered in Nigeria. It institutionalises cash and voucher assistance as a central component of our national humanitarian architecture, ensuring that assistance is timely, needs-driven, inclusive, and coordinated.
‘It provides a harmonised framework for government, partners, and stakeholders to deliver cash-based interventions that empower individuals and communities with the freedom of choice, stimulate local markets, and promote self-reliance and resilience among affected populations.
‘In a context where humanitarian needs are increasing due to recurrent shocks – from floods and conflicts to economic vulnerabilities – the Cash and Voucher Assistance Policy and its Implementation Plan will help to streamline coordination, enhance accountability mechanisms, strengthen data-driven targeting, and ensure that assistance truly reaches those who need it most. It also reflects Nigeria’s commitment to the Grand Bargain priorities, particularly around localisation, transparency, and efficiency in humanitarian financing.’
While delivering his goodwill message, Mr. David Stevenson, who was represented by Edward Thiem, stated that the policy document aligns with ‘the symbol of what the UN vision is in Nigeria, and in the world – to accompany capable people and capable governments to get where they want to be, which is to help people regain their dignity and live above the poverty line.’
While applauding the initiative, he underscored the need to engage capable and competent people to lead the humanitarian policy.