Multi-Purpose Cash Grant – A collaborative model for North-East Nigeria

In recent years, there is an increasing commitment from donors and humanitarian actors to use cash transfers as a response modality where appropriate to meet multiple needs of the affected population in rapid onset and protracted emergencies. There is growing evidence that cash transfers give people choice and make humanitarian aid more accountable to crisis affected people, can help to make scarce resources go further, and can leverage the opportunities created by the global expansion of financial services, including digital payments, and the growing number of social safety nets. Multi-Purpose Cash Grants (MPCG) are cross-sectorial,
unrestricted and unconditional, increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of responses, allowing beneficiaries to purchase what they know to be their most urgent needs. Thus, it increases empowerment and dignity of beneficiaries, enables better equity of distributions, and reduces costs of implementation. “Currently, cash-based interventions have been focused on meeting basic needs. Moving forward, it is expected that cash is
gradually used in sectors, where feasible and appropriate, and to move from in-kind to a cash-based transfer modality for assistance to the extent possible. This approach will be linked where feasible with a multi-sector/purpose approach and with the strategy to support local communities.”