World Bank approves $300m to support IDPs in Northern Nigeria

The World Bank reports that it has authorised $300 million to finance a new initiative that would help internally displaced people (IDPs) and their host communities in northern Nigeria have better access to services and economic opportunities.

The World Bank stated Monday that the August 7 approval of the Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities Project (SOLID) was confirmed.

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The project will use an integrated development approach, according to the World Bank, to assist host communities and displaced people in moving from humanitarian assistance to resilience and self-sufficiency.

More than 3.5 million people have been displaced by the region’s prolonged violence and insecurity, which has put a strain on infrastructure and increased competition for limited resources in impacted towns, the report added.

According to the bank, SOLID will expand upon earlier government and partner initiatives, such as the emergency recovery-focused multi-sectoral crisis recovery project (MCRP).

“Key areas of focus include building climate-resilient infrastructure, promoting social cohesion, supporting livelihoods, and strengthening institutions to better respond to the pressures of forced displacement.

“We are glad to support this initiative which has a tremendous potential to help Nigeria in addressing development challenges associated with protracted displacement in a sustainable way,” Mathew Verghis, World Bank country director for Nigeria, said.

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“The Project’s integrated approach which is aligned with the National IDP Policy and the FGN’s long-term development vision will ensure that IDPs and host communities can transition from dependency on humanitarian assistance to self-reliance and resilience which will open up better economic opportunities,” it added.