NRC in Nigeria

 
NRC’s operation

We help those displaced inside formal and informal camp settlements, as well as vulnerable host communities, while assessing who needs our help the most. NRC responds to rapid displacements and natural disasters (floods and fires) through the rapid response mechanism, by distributing emergency NFIs and food supplies.

While the Nigerian government has encouraged displaced people to move back home to their communities, our 2017 report, Not Ready to Return, found that 86 per cent of displaced people in north-east Nigeria are afraid to return. We recommend better integration planning and the provision of accurate information for those who want to relocate or return home.
 

Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)

 
Some rights and services in Nigeria are only available after producing certain legal identity documents. Cultural norms mean that women and minority groups are most likely to face challenges. Our ICLA teams:

• collaborate with national and state-level actors to provide birth certificates and national identification cards so that displaced people can access basic services
• provide free legal counsel on housing, land and property rights (HLP rights), and legal documentation
• strengthen security of tenure for displaced Nigerians living in urban areas, where unclear rental and land property agreements can result in forced evictions and multiple displacements
• assist in collaborative dispute resolution processes to resolve legal disputes
• train Nigerian government officials and employees of organisations working on HLP rights
   

Education

 
Poverty, illiteracy, lack of access to education, and youth unemployment indicate the alarming need among the young, with over half of children and adolescents between 6 and 15 years old in north-east Nigeria not attending school. Meanwhile, 66 per cent of the overall population have never been to school and the Nigerian government is keen on promoting entrepreneurship and job creation for youth. In line with their agenda, our education team:

• provides Skills for Work and Life Training for youth, which include building agricultural and life skills and improving literacy
• promotes entrepreneurship and further education
• provides Education in Emergencies activities, including school rehabilitation, teacher training, and provision of teaching and learning materials
   

Livelihoods and food security

 
An estimated 5.2 million people need food assistance, and most have lost their farms. Communities hosting displaced people also suffer as they share their limited resources. Our livelihoods and food security teams:

• distribute food baskets and electronic cash transfers for food and household items
• give training sessions on food production for those whose livelihoods have been damaged by violence and displacement
• provide cash grants for business opportunities
• provide agricultural input to support displaced families who are growing their own vegetable gardens and crops
   

Shelter and settlements

 
There are 3.5 million people in the north-east region in need of shelter and NFI support. Shelters constructed in camps have been predominantly temporary and are emergency shelters not meant for long-term use. Outside of camps, semi-permanent shelters used by displaced people are dilapidated. Our shelter teams:

• construct and rehabilitate shelters in camps and urban areas
• distribute cash e-vouchers to enable people to purchase shelter materials from pre-approved shops and pay for repairs to damaged shelters
• improve infrastructure, such as drainage
• distribute emergency shelter kits which include basic household items like cooking utensils and cutlery
   

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) promotion

 
Lack of clean drinking water and hygiene has led to the prevalence of water-borne disease and other threats to public health, like cholera. Our teams work inside and outside camps to:

• provide safe water and construct water storage tanks
• construct latrines, hand washing, and bathing facilities, in coordination with our shelter teams
• conduct training sessions, door-to-door campaigns, and discussion groups to promote good hygiene practices
• distribute hygiene kits
• construct and rehabilitate boreholes