The National Social Register (NSR) is a repository of information about potential beneficiaries for multiple social assistance programs that share a common population of interest, but not necessarily same eligibility approach. In building the National Social Registry (NSR) of poor and vulnerable households (PVHHs) in the country, four targeting approaches are utilized, namely:
- Geographic
- Community Ranking
- Community Based Targeting (CBT) and
- Proxy Mean Testing (PMT)
This is aimed at enhancing the integrity and reliability of the NSR and ensuring that resources go to the intended beneficiaries.
TARGETING APPROACH
Geographic Targeting: After reaching a consensus on the use of Poverty Map (or other poverty measurement criteria) with the participating state, Local Government Areas (LGAs) are ranked based on their poverty status. Coverage is carried out in three phases, starting with 30% poorest LGAs then subsequently 50% and 20% poorest LGAs in a State to achieve saturation.
Community Ranking: In this targeting approach, the most deprived communities and households are given priority in the terms of entry and coverage in a Local Government. The availability or otherwise of some basic amenities and infrastructures are used to provide a scientific basis for the poverty incidence ranking and subsequent selection of communities.
Community-Based Targeting: This is a process of devolving responsibilities of decision making as it relates to the identification of poor and vulnerable households (PVHH) to community members. Using the agreed criteria, the community members identify households they consider poor and vulnerable in their community. This activity is facilitated by the Community–Based Targeting Team (CBTT) which comprises of Targeting Officers and Enumerators. The Targeting Officers are responsible for facilitating the identification of PVHHs in the community while the Enumerators are responsible for data capture of the identified PVHH
Proxy Means Test (PMT): Information on identified PVHHs characteristics captured by the Enumerators correlated with welfare levels is used in a formal algorithm to proxy household income, welfare or need. This makes it possible for PVHHs in a community to be ranked base on poverty status into deciles. PVHHs that are between one to six deciles are considered eligible to be in the National Beneficiary Register (NBR) which is a register used for Cash Transfer in the Country.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNITY BASED TARGETING (CBT)
The community-based targeting (CBT) is a process of devolving responsibilities of decision making as it relates to identification of poor and vulnerable to community members.
Community Based Targeting Team (CBTT) membership: CBTT is made up of permanent officers from the participating Local government who are made up of the following:
- Community Development Officer (CDO) who serves as the team leader
- An National Orientation Agency (NOA) Officer
- Two other members who should be either; Planning Officer, Agric Extension Officer or Women/social development officer.
- Two Enumerators who must be computer literate
Roles of the CBTT/Communities
- Facilitate the communities to identify the Poor and Vulnerable households.
- Enumeration of the Identified household
- Documentation of all the CBT processes etc.
- The role of the community is limited to identification of the poorest and vulnerable households/families.
Source: www.nassp.gov.ng
