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The Jigawa State Conditional Cash Transfer Programme: A Model for Improving Maternal and Child Health
Fatima Sanusi, a 27-year-old woman from the Mafitar Sarki community in Hadejia Local Government Area (LGA), has been receiving financial support through Jigawa State’s Conditional Cash Transfer Programme for the past five months. Since being enrolled in the initiative, she has received 5,000 Naira (approximately US$4) each month. This support is expected to continue for 12 consecutive months.
The programme was launched in 2021 with the goal of encouraging pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers to use health facilities by providing them with financial assistance. To date, over 21,000 women have benefited from the initiative, with 8,610 currently enrolled. Eligibility requires participants to meet several conditions, including providing proof of routine immunization, attending antenatal care at government health facilities, participating in pregnancy care classes, and preparing nutritious meals at home.
Hafsat Yakubu, another beneficiary of the programme, shared her experience. She uses the money to help support her husband in raising their five children. However, she expressed a desire for an increase in the monthly payment. “It is really helpful, but I believe if it is increased to 10,000 or 15,000 monthly, we will appreciate the government even more,” she said.
Despite these positive outcomes, Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in maternal, neonatal, and child health. High maternal mortality rates, low immunization coverage, and limited access to quality reproductive and newborn care remain pressing issues. These problems are exacerbated by factors such as poverty, weak health systems, underfunding, and regional disparities, particularly in northern Nigeria.
Identifying Women in Need
Hassan Babandi, the Desk Officer implementing the Conditional Cash Transfer programme at the Jigawa State Rehabilitation Board, explained how the programme identifies eligible beneficiaries. Officials collect data on all women of reproductive age who fall into the category of poor and vulnerable. From this data, they select women who are pregnant or lactating.
“From the data, they [the officials at the Social Register] cannot identify who is pregnant or lactating. So, when we are looking for 8,000 women, we collect the data of 20,000 women of child-bearing age,” Babandi said. He added that local government desk officers and Grievance Readiness Officers (GROs) physically verify beneficiaries across the state’s 27 LGAs.
Gambo Ibrahim Suleiman, the Director of Administration and Finance at the Jigawa State Rehabilitation Board, emphasized that the selection process focuses on women from financially unstable families. “We pick 20 women from each of the 27 LGAs in the state,” he said. In 2021, the programme started with 5,740 beneficiaries, selecting 20 women from each of the state’s 287 political wards. Following a government assessment, the number of beneficiaries was increased to 8,610 within a year.
Initially, the monthly payment was set at 4,000 Naira before it was raised to 5,000. Each month, the government disburses a total of 43 million Naira for the beneficiaries, and the programme is entirely funded by the state government. For the first two years, Action Against Hunger provided technical support, including capacity-building sessions on data management.
Positive Outcomes and Challenges
Suleiman noted that the programme has led to improvements in nutrition among pregnant women and a reduction in diseases, as well as a decrease in out-of-hospital births and births attended by unskilled personnel. The initiative also includes a social and behavioural component that has positively influenced attitudes towards immunization, nutrition, and antenatal care.
However, the programme faced several challenges during its implementation. Many beneficiaries did not have bank accounts or Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), especially those living in remote areas. “Also, it is not every woman who has a phone in the villages. Some of them rely on their husband’s phones or a relative. The programme does not operate like that. It is compulsory for a prospective beneficiary to have a BVN and it is not transferable,” Suleiman explained.
He added that some women attempted to use someone else’s BVN, only to realize it did not belong to them during the final stage of account opening. This made enrollment impossible. To prevent fraud, the programme ensures that beneficiaries receive payment notifications directly rather than through third parties.
Lessons for Other States
In May 2025, government officials from Borno and Adamawa States visited Jigawa to learn about the programme and consider replicating it in their own states. “Some development agencies that had previously worked in Jigawa advised them to come to Jigawa to learn. They told them that the state is a good example of a successful incentive-based cash assistance,” Suleiman said.
The Jigawa State Conditional Cash Transfer Programme demonstrates how well-designed financial incentives can drive positive health behaviors and improve maternal and child health outcomes. While the impact so far is commendable, there is an opportunity to scale this intervention in a way that is both systemic and sustainable.
Across Nigeria, particularly in states with poor health indices, adopting conditional cash transfer programmes like Jigawa’s should not be seen as charity but as sound public health investment. Globally and locally, these programmes have been shown to reduce maternal mortality, increase immunization uptake, and drive social change when well-targeted and supported by data.
