More than nine million Nigerians have directly benefited from the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) program, according to official reports. The program’s National Coordinator, Dr. Abdulkarim Obaje, shared this milestone at the fifth Zonal Peer Learning and Experience Sharing Event in Akure, Ondo State.

Dr. Obaje expressed confidence in NG-CARES’ ability to drive poverty reduction and improve livelihoods across the nation. He highlighted how the initiative has been expanded to reach even more vulnerable populations. As a result of growing demand, state governors sought additional support from the World Bank, securing an impressive $500 million in new funding.

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The program operates across different zones, with numerous beneficiaries recounting how NG-CARES has positively transformed their lives. Dr. Obaje praised the substantial contributions from state governments, which have collectively invested over N150 billion into the program. He also called for continued federal and state financial backing to ensure further outreach to impoverished communities.

Dr. Lire Ersado, NG-CARES’ Task Team Leader at the World Bank, revealed that the initiative had received $750 million in total investments, impacting over 30 million Nigerians, both directly and indirectly. With the first phase set to conclude in December, the World Bank has approved an additional $500 million for the second phase of the initiative.

Ondo State’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Mr. Emmanuel Igbasan, applauded NG-CARES as one of the most effective World Bank-supported programs in Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of ongoing collaboration between the Federal Government, Nigeria Governors Forum, and the World Bank to sustain and build on this successful initiative.