Good News: Payments Of N5000 Monthly Stipends For Rapid Response Register (RRR) For Covid-19 Cash Transfer Commence

THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF COVID-19 Around the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has pushed many already poor and struggling people deeper into poverty. The economic impact of the pandemic has disrupted livelihoods, hurt businesses and in some situations halted incomes.

THE COVID-19 RAPID RESPONSE REGISTER (RRR)

The Rapid Response Register is an intervention by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development to identify and document the urban and semi-urban poor who have lost their income streams and consequently become poorer from the harsh economic impact of Covid-19.

The Register is being built nationwide as an expansion of the existing National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP) to target those in this category of non-traditional poor in urban and high-density locations and/or slums where the pandemic has affected economic life.

Individuals/households in the Rapid Response Register will be paid N5000 monthly for at least six months under an expanded Cash Transfer Programme of the Federal Government. This will boost their consumption and help to build resilience.

IDENTIFYING THE URBAN POOR FOR THE COVID RAPID RESPONSE REGISTER To identify

Nigerians who have been made poorer in Urban and semi-urban areas for registration, geographical satellite remote sensing technology to locate urban poorwards and high-density settlements is deployed. Targeting and enrolment of affected individuals will be done using cellphone short messaging service (SMS) technology that allows residents of identified communities register to be assisted by following simple steps via USSD codes. This technology approach is integrated with the National Living Standard Survey assessments and will be complemented by existing databases of NGOs, local self help-support groups and neighborhood structures in the communities.

Mobile phone numbers of applicants validated and deemed eligible for assistance will be

linked to digitized bank accounts to receive N5000 monthly stipends. It is one of different ways the Government of Nigeria is spreading safety nets to address

Covid-19 shocks.