Effects of Conditional Cash Transfer Programme on Livelihoods and Wellbeing of Community Members of Kaugama LGA of Jigawa State

Cite this article as: Maitalata, Y.K. & Aliegba, B.A. (2023). Effects of Conditional Cash Transfer Programme on Livelihoods and Wellbeing of Community Members of Kaugama LGA of Jigawa State. Zamfara International Journal of Humanities, (2)2, 43-54. www.doi.org/10.36349/zamijoh.2023.v02i02.005.

Effects of Conditional Cash Transfer Programme on Livelihoods and Wellbeing of Community Members of Kaugama LGA of Jigawa State

BY

MAITALATA Yakubu Kwassam
Department of Public Administration
Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
kgadzama@gmail.com
08188349400 

And

ALIEGBA Becky Ade PhD
Department of Public Administration
Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
becky27aliegba@gmail.com
08035405815

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme on the livelihoods and well-being of community members in Kaugama Local Government Area (LGA) of Jigawa State, Nigeria. Conditional Cash Transfer programmes have gained prominence as a poverty alleviation strategy for low-income countries. The research employed a narrative method with qualitative assessments. The study adopted both primary and secondary methods of data collection through the means of survey and documentary methods of data collection. The primary data analysed in this study was collected using a structured interview, while the secondary data was collected from the documented records of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO). Tables, percentages, and content analysis methods were used to analyse the data. This study utilised Social Capital Theory to advance credible arguments for the discourse. From the findings made, it was concluded that the Conditional Cash Transfer programme has improved the food consumption of beneficiaries, enhanced access to health facilities for beneficiaries and enabled them to enrol more of their children in schools. One of the recommendations was that, based on the promising outcomes in the Kaugama Local Government Area, more funding should be provided for the Conditional Cash Transfer programme to upscale it to cover more beneficiaries in Jigawa State. This could have a wider-reaching positive impact on food security, healthcare access, and education in the state in particular and the nation at large.

Keywords: Beneficiaries, Cash Transfer, Social Assistance, Social Investment, Policy

Introduction

Before the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, previous regimes and administrations, both military and civilian, had designed programmes and policies that were meant to either eradicate or alleviate poverty in Nigeria, such as Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), instituted by General Olusegun Obasanjo, which aimed at increasing food production, and the Green Revolution under Shehu Shagari, which targeted food availability and affordability to prevent poverty. The War Against Indiscipline (WAI) by General Muhammadu Buhari in 1984 was designed to curb poverty by instilling discipline against corrupt practices. The People’s Bank of Nigeria (PBN) was established by General Badamasi Babangida in 1989 to provide money for entrepreneurial activities without stringent requirements in the form of collateral. The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was established in 1986 to facilitate jobs; the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) was also established in 1997, Better Life for Rural Women (1987), Family Support Programme (FSP) was also established in 1994, National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP), established in 2001 and a host of others were directed towards eradicating poverty and its tendencies in Nigeria. Due to poor implementation and a lack of proper monitoring, most of these programmes could not have a positive impact, and poverty remained a prevalent issue in Nigerian societies (Bamidele, 2023).

The Muhammadu Buhari-led administration launched the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme and tagged it the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP) which commenced in September 2016. It was a national programme that had a seven-year periodic scope from 2016 to December 2022. It is worthy of note from the onset that Conditional Cash Transfer is one of the sub-category programmes of Social Assistance under the Social Protection classification by the World Bank. The HUP Programme, anchored by the Federal Government, aimed at responding to deficiencies in capacity and a lack of investment in the human capital of poor and vulnerable households. It was a component of the National Social Safety Nets Project (NASSP), which was meant to support targeted poor and vulnerable Nigerian households. The programme was designed to deliver timely and accessible cash transfers to vulnerable households to improve household consumption, improve school enrollment and attendance, and equally improve access to the utilisation of health and nutrition services by pregnant women and children under the age of 2, among other objectives. Beneficiaries of the programme were mined from the National Social Register (NSR), which comprised state social registers (SR) of poor and vulnerable households. The registers were developed through the training and supervision of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office in Abuja. The program had three sub-components, that is, levels of implementation: Base Cash Transfer, Top-Up based on state-selected conditions, and Livelihood Support (NCTO, 2019).

The Household Uplifting Programme was designed to achieve six specific outcomes from September 2016 when it was launched to December 2022 when phase one of the programme ended.

1.      Improved household consumption,

2.      Improved school enrolment and attendance,

3.      Increase in utilisation of health and nutrition services,

4.      Improved household financial and asset acquisition,

5.      Improved environmental sanitation and management, and

6.      Engage beneficiaries in sustainable livelihood activities

Household Uplifting Programme was a national programme enacted in 36 states, including the Federal Capital Territory; save for the third component, that is, the livelihood support which was implemented in six pilot states: Anambra, Cross River, Oyo, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kogi. According to the NCTO (2022), 1,997,483 households and 9,987,415 individuals were mined from the National Social Register (NSR) and State Social Registers (SSR) and enrolled in the programme as documented in the National Beneficiaries Register (NBR). The households and individuals were drawn from 48,789 communities in 609 Local government areas in the benefiting states. Beneficiaries of the Household Uplifting Programme, whether under Base, Top-up, or Livelihood support, were paid ₦10,000 per household bi-monthly. The transfers were in billions of Naira while the programme lasted.

From documented records of NCTO (2023), it showed that the third level of HUP, that is, the livelihood support was implemented in six pilot states: Anambra, Cross River, Oyo, Bauchi, Jigawa, and Kogi. The table below gives a summary of the beneficiaries per state.

The six pilot states were selected after meeting certain criteria (availability of State Beneficiary Register (SBR), participating in Community and Social Development Projects and/or Fadama etc). One from each geopolitical region was selected due to diversity of culture and ethnicity and two LGAs per State to allow for comparison of results.

 

Table 1: Six pilot states for HUP livelihood support indicating the number of beneficiaries

 

S/No	States	LGA I	Beneficiaries	LGA II	Beneficiaries
1	Anambra	Ayamelu	195	Orumba South	229
2	Bauchi	Dass	525	Ningi	377
3	Cross River	Abi	152	Obanliku	328
4	Jigawa	Gwiwa	929	Kaugama	941
5	Niger	Gbako	205	Agwara	214
6	Oyo	Atiba	105	Atisbo	42

Source: NCTO (2023)

This study was limited to Jigawa state being one of the six pilot states to assess the effect of HUP with emphasis on the two local government areas that benefited from the three sub-components (base, top-up and livelihood support) of the project, Kaugama and Gwiwa.

How can the huge sums disbursed as cash transfers to the beneficiaries in different communities of Kaugama LGA be justified? An assessment of the effects of the programme on the beneficiaries’ direct experiences was carried out.

Statement of the Study

 

This study aims to carry out a report on the assessment of the effect of Conditional Cash Transfer on some of the specific expected outcomes of the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP) in selected communities of Kaugama LGA of Jigawa State.

Objectives of the Study

i.        Assess the effect of the conditional cash transfer programme on the food consumption patterns of beneficiaries in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

ii.      Investigate the extent to which the conditional cash transfer programme has improved beneficiaries' access to health facilities in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

iii.    Examine the correlation between conditional cash transfer benefits and increased enrollment of children in school among beneficiaries in Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State.

Research Questions

i.        Has the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT) led to an improvement in the food consumption patterns of beneficiaries in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State?

ii.      To what extent has the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme (CCT) enhanced the accessibility of health facilities for beneficiaries in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State?

iii.    To what magnitude has the Conditional Cash Transfer Programme helped in improving the enrolment of beneficiaries’ children in schools?

 

Literature Review and Conceptual Clarifications

Concept of Social Assistance

Nigeria’s social assistance implemented as Household Uplifting Programme is a highly selective, category-based system of conditional cash transfer that disbursed N10,000 (Ten Thousand Naira) on a bi-monthly basis through household caregivers either as base cash transfer, top-up cash transfer, or livelihood support cash transfer. It is described as a conditional cash transfer to the extent that the beneficiaries are drawn from the National Social Register (NBR) and state Social Registers. No household benefits from the social intervention unless they fulfil the first condition of being listed as one of the very poor households captured in the NSR and then pass the Proxy Means Test or Community Based Test to qualify for base cash transfer and then subsequently top-up cash transfer (child allowance) if there is a pregnant woman or a child (ren) below 2 years in the family.

Also, the conditionality of CCT requires the beneficiaries of the social intervention to fulfil certain behaviours or actions to access the cash payment. Though conditions attached to cash transfer programmes have raised several human rights concerns, Barrientos (2011) noted that the enjoyment of cash transfer benefits is strictly dependent on compliance, and when conditions go unmet, punitive measures (programme suspension) are taken as a consequence. Conditions then undermine the dignity, autonomy, and freedom of people to make their own decisions about what is best for them (Brauw and Hoddinott, 2008; Devereux and McGregor, 2014).

According to the World Bank social assistance programme category and sub-category based on ISPA CODI (2020), poverty-targeted cash transfers and family and child allowance (including orphan and vulnerable children benefits) are a sub-category of the social protection category called social assistance and belong to a programme category referred to as cash transfers. Furthermore, social assistance is one of the three major components of social protection; the other two are social insurance and labour market programmes. Social assistance is a highly selective, category-based, and formal in type but non-contributory system of social protection. This means that the benefiting individuals or households must fall into a certain category of citizens who do not have the means to make contributions to the government in any form, either by paying taxes or making pension contributions, to qualify as beneficiaries of the categorical social intervention programme. Three different household components that mostly benefit from CCT have been identified: (a) single adults living alone; (b) lone mothers, sometimes referred to as single parent-headed households or female-headed households; and (c) couples with children (male-headed households). The non-contributory status of the beneficiaries is mostly responsible for the need to place certain requirements on how to access the intervention to condition the behaviours of the beneficiaries to enable the state or funder to maximise the expected outcomes.

Table 2: Extract of classification of Social Assistance Programme

SP category	Programme category	Subcategory
Social assistance	Cash transfers	Poverty-targeted cash transfers
		Family and child allowance (including orphan and vulnerable children benefits)

Source: extract from World Bank, ASPIRE program classification (2020)

Cash transfers may take different forms: simple transfers, transfers conditional upon certain requirements, and transfers combined with the provision of or linkages to other services (Carter et al., 2019). Two categories of cash transfers are mentioned below:

Unconditional cash transfers (UCTs) do not have any requirements in terms of how they are spent or any conditions for when they are received. They are implemented both at the national level by governments and at a smaller scale by NGOs (HLPE 2012; Carter et al., 2019).

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) are given with the requirement that the beneficiary meet certain conditions, often related to human capital development, such as visiting a health clinic or ensuring children go to school. In this way, CCTs aim to reduce both short-term food insecurity and the long-term intergenerational transmission of poverty and vulnerability (World Bank 2018, Carter et al., 2019).

National Social Investment Policy (NSIP)

By way of clarification, Jenkins (as cited in Turgeon & Savard, 2012) defined a policy as a set of correlated decisions by a political actor or group of actors concerning the selection of goals and means of achieving them within a specified situation where those decisions should, in principle, be within the power of those actors to achieve them. This definition, by suggesting the keyword selection, has recognised both decisions and actions deliberately taken by the government to solve a social problem or matter of concern as essential elements of a policy. Muller and Surel (as cited in Turgeon and Savard, 2012) stated that a public policy is the product of governmental decisions involving objectives, means, and resources—that is, a set of concrete measures—that constitute the "visible" substance of the policy and are associated with a given environment or social context, as well as with a complex process in which various governmental and non-governmental actors seek to promote several interests, which frequently conflict with one another. Howlett and Ramesh (as cited in Turgeon and Savard, 2012) observed that Jenkin’s definition constitutes a marked improvement on Dye's, which states that public policy is "whatever governments choose to do or not to do". While Dye essentially identifies public policies with political decision-making, Jenkins correctly stresses the interdependent, non-isolated nature of decisions about the government’s public policies, which are the product of a series of decisions requiring coordination on the part of all the governmental actors involved. Jenkins also emphasised the fact that a public policy is above all focused on achieving a goal and identifying the means of reaching the goal.

HUP is a product of a series of decisions from NSIP, which is a policy but belongs to what is popularly referred to as a public policy statement, or simply put, public policy.  Abubakar (2018) rightly observed that there is controversy over the definition of public policy and the boundary of what constitutes public policy: should it be posited at the level of decision-making, intention, or action of government? Some scholars argue that public policy is what the government chooses to do or not do. Others assert that public policy is what the government does, not what they intend to do or say they are going to do. Mehiris, K. et al. (as cited in Turgeon & Savard, 2012) established that at the core of every public policy, there should be a vision of the problem or issue that it refers to, as well as the values and broad principles which it is based and the final goal it seeks to achieve.

Drawing from the submission by Jenkins, this study aligns with his definition, bearing in mind that the Household Uplifting Programme was a decision taken by some group of actors who knew it was within their powers at the Federal Government level to design a programme that would provide a solution to the rising level of vulnerability, social exclusion, and poverty among the underprivileged groups in the country. These actors established the goals and means of achieving those goals through interrelated decisions such as relying on an already existing National Social Register to select only indigent citizens captured in the National Social Register and State Social Registers as beneficiaries and forming a National Beneficiaries Register (NBR). The selection process was through community-based targeting (CBT) and Proxy Means testing (PMT).

Empirical Review

Several literature were reviewed in the course of this study that reported on different studies conducted using different methodologies and approaches covering different demographies in Nigeria and other parts of the world. So far no research work has reported on any findings on the HUP livelihood support program in Kaugama and Gwiwa LGAs of Jigawa state. This study was conducted to bridge that demographic gap.

Adeaga, Adelakun, and Oyekunle (2019) did a study on the effects of household uplifting programmes on the welfare status of beneficiaries in Nigeria. The study gave a background on the high incidence of poverty in Nigeria despite several interventions from successive governments and pointed out the fact that past programmes targeted at poverty reduction had been ineffective, which was attributed to several factors. The consistent failure of past programmes necessitated an evaluation of current attempts to solve the same age-old issue. Therefore, the effects of HUP on the welfare status of beneficiaries in Oyo State, Nigeria, were investigated. The researchers, based on the conclusions drawn from the study, made some recommendations considered important for facilitating the policy process, which include, amongst others, that programme designers of conditional cash transfers should invest more in capacity building and skill acquisition to increase income among rural dwellers in Oyo State.

Shadare (2020) investigated citizens’ perceptions of a specific policy programme in Nigeria (conditional cash transfers, or CCTs) and the ways the politics of social protection are informed and shaped by the intersection of the realities of citizens’ lived experiences and the actions and interactions between elites, the public, and institutional actors. The crucial question of how the Nigerian CCTs operated and what the participants (beneficiaries) perceived as their main advantages and weaknesses, as well as the nuanced construction of public attitudes towards conditional cash transfer programmes (social protection), are addressed. Employing a qualitative methodology encompassing in-depth interviews (with key informants), semi-structured interviews with respondents, and focus group discussions with selected groups within certain communities, the study reflected the religious and demographic divide of Nigeria to capture the lived experiences of beneficiaries and their perspectives of the CCT programmes. The distinctive attributes of Nigeria’s informal social welfare arrangements are described, and the study affirms the salience of politics and contextual variations in the implementation of CCTs. Findings also reveal the importance of contextual dynamics, the necessity of understanding the politics and political settlements of a country, and how it is useful in explaining the national experiences of social policy development. The study is only the second of its kind on Nigerian social protection, thus contributing to academic discourse on social policy dynamics and redistributive programmes in development contexts by empirically connecting the nexus between political contexts, actors, institutions, and the citizens to public attitudes and trust in government. The findings enrich our understanding of social protection in Nigeria and may act as a guide to future policy actions as well as future research into Nigerian social protection.

Saaka and Galaa (2012) asserted that low utilisation of health and nutrition services is a major setback to the attainment of ultimate health for many populations in developing countries, including Ghana. Primary health care (PHC) forms the basis for the provision of good, quality, and sustainable health care, and making it accessible to the majority of the population is of the essence. In line with this, the Catholic Relief Services spearheaded a Development Assistance programme for the 2004–08 financial year in the northern sector of Ghana. The primary beneficiaries were children in their early years and pregnant and lactating women. The main aim of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the programme objectives were achieved. The study highlights the innovative processes used to improve access to and utilisation of key health and nutrition services and their impact on the health of children and women. The study findings showed that the programme reduced chronic malnutrition by 1.5 percentage points per year in participating communities.

Nwoko, Aye, and Olalere (2022) did a study on Unconditional Cash Transfer and children’s school attendance in vulnerable households: The Case of the Household Uplifting Programme in the North Central of Nigeria. The study investigated the impact of unconditional cash transfers, known as the Household Uplifting Programme (HUP), on children’s school attendance in vulnerable households in the north-central zone of Nigeria. The study employed a survey design that involved a cross-sectional survey of vulnerable rural households to estimate the impact of an intervention on the target population. The researchers recommended that policymakers progress from unconditional to conditional cash transfers to make a significant impact on school attendance and enrollment, especially in the North Central Zone.

Ampah, Ambrose, Omagwa, and Frimpong (2017) sought to determine the effect of access to credit and financial support services on poverty reduction in the Central Region of Ghana. Four variables were used to measure poverty reduction: increase in consumption expenditure, income growth, ability to educate children, and acquisition of business assets. Using descriptive statistics and ANOVA, the study found that access to credit and financial support services had a fairly weak positive effect on growth in income, an increase in consumption expenditure, and the acquisition of business assets. The study, however, found access to credit and financial support services to have a significant effect on the ability to educate children.

Theoretical Framework: the Social Capital Theory

The study adopted the social capital theory, which aligns with a similar study on cash transfers by Bamidele (2023) in Ekiti State. The first systematic contemporary analysis of social capital was produced by Pierre Bourdieu, who defined the concept as "the aggregate of the actual or potential resources that are linked to the possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance or recognition" (Bourdieu, 1980). The theory highlights the essence of good relationships among individuals in a given community and their positive effect on them as active participants in programmes or projects designed and implemented to reduce poverty and support the community. Hasa (2017) noted that social capital is the network of relationships among people who live and work in a particular society, enabling that society to function effectively.

Social networks are said to be the cause of social capital; that is, social capital originates from social networks. Social capital is typically divided into three subtypes: Bonds: Links based on common identity such as close friends, family, or members of the same ethnic group, that is, people like us. Bridges: Links that go beyond a common identity—distant friends, colleagues, etc. Linkages: Links to people up and down the social ladder

Methodology

The study used a qualitative method to obtain the rich and descriptive data necessary to explain the subjective reasons and meanings behind reality (TerreBlanche and Durrheim, as cited in Shadare, 2020).

To adequately answer the research questions, a qualitative paradigm was considered the most appropriate for this study. Qualitative research methods are helpful for the exploration of the deeper meaning of specific experiences and understanding people’s alignment of their experiences with their social constructs (Creswell, as cited in Shadare, 2020). Besides, this research was premised on a social constructivist worldview. This was employed to understand how the household uplifting programme was perceived by the beneficiaries and what principal factors might be behind these perspectives.

Thus, the researcher had to infiltrate the universes of the participants, that is, beneficiaries of the Household Uplifting Programme in this case, to purposefully conjure settings that enable participants to share their narratives, insights, and thoughts about the subject being investigated (Shadare, 2020); this way, the observations amassed as field notes, interviews, conversations, photographs, and recordings, permit the analysis of both significant and irrelevant practises that make the participants’ spheres visible, understandable, and meaningful. The researcher resorted to hermeneutics to effectively interact with the beneficiaries, who could only communicate effectively in Hausa or Fulani language. The interview questions had to be translated into Hausa for fluency and consistency during the interview sessions. Hermeneutics "derives from the Greek verb hermeneuein, "to interpret", and from the noun hermeneia, or "interpretation" (Bryne, 1996). In the field of qualitative research, this term still has the connotation of "interpretation".

The study also reviewed relevant documents, such as the reports of Monitoring and Evaluation officers for HUP and their Monitoring and Evaluation forms used to harvest data, and then analysed both the primary and secondary data to make sense of how the research participants constructed their individual views about household uplifting programmes and broader social investment programmes in Nigeria.

The population of the study was the beneficiaries of the Household Uplifting Programme identified in the National Social Register through community-based targeting (CBT) and proxy means testing (PMT) spread across the two pilot local government areas of Kaugama and Gwiwa in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The sampled population was the total number of household beneficiaries from the pilot livelihood support programme in the two local government areas of Jigawa state: Gwiwa (929 households) and Kaugama (941 households), which sums up to 1,870 households. Purposive sampling was used to select a sample of HUP livelihood support beneficiaries from Kaugama (a rural LGA in the northeast region) of Jigawa State. The population of 1,870 was used for two-phase research work to compare the effect of the cash transfers on beneficiaries in Kaugama and Gwiwa LGAs respectively.  The two-phase research work was also reported in two parts.  This report is the first part on Kaugama LGA using the same population.

Using the Yamane (1967) formula, a sample size of 330 beneficiaries was chosen.

n   =                N

                     1+ N (e) ²          

Where            n = sample size

                        N = total population size

                        1 is constant

e = the assumed error margin or tolerable error which is taken as 5% (0.05)

n =            N                  1,870                        1,870

1 + N (e) ²     1+1,870(0.05)² 5.675         =        330

Therefore, a sample size of three hundred and thirty (330) beneficiaries was selected for the study, which is a fair representative sample of the total subjects.

Out of the total sample size of 330 which represents the total subjects, 180 households were purposively interviewed in 8 (eight) selected communities within Kaugama LGA.

Table 3: Names of communities and number of beneficiaries interviewed

The table below contains the names of communities and the number of beneficiaries interviewed for this study

S/No	Name of Community	No. interviewed	% interviewed
1	Tauran Gabas	38	21.1
2	Fulani Burtali Hadin	34	18.9
3	Garin Tsamiya	29	16.1
4	Roba	18	10
5	Albashi Yamma	40	22.2
6	Albashi Limawa	10	5.6
7	Albashi Arewa	6	3.3
8	Hadelawa	5	2.8
	TOTAL	180	100%

Source: Field survey (2023)

Table 3: shows the names of communities purposively visited and the number of beneficiaries interviewed in those communities.  It shows that 180 households that benefited from the livelihood support programme from eight communities were interviewed in the Hausa language because all the beneficiaries could communicate only in Hausa or Fulani language.

Table 4:  Names of schools and health facilities in eight communities under Kaugama LGA

The table below contains the names of schools and health facilities in eight communities under the Kaugama LGA

 

S/No	Name of Community	Schools Attended	Health facilities visited
1	Tauran Gabas	Tauran Gabas Primary School	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
2	Fulani Burtali Hadin	Fulani Burtali Primary Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
3	Garin Tsamiya	Attend nearby community Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
4	Roba	Attend nearby community Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
5	Albashi Yamma	Albashi Yamma Primary Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
6	Albashi Limawa	Albashi Limawa Primary Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
7	Albashi Arewa	Albashi Arewa Primary Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC
8	Hadelawa	Attend nearby community Sch.	Marke PHC/Ung Jibril PHC

Source: Field survey (2023)

Table 3 above, gives a tabular insight of how the beneficiaries of HUP in eight communities under Kaugama have access to educational facilities for their wards and health facilities for their families most especially pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children below the age of two years.

The Table shows that Tauran Gabas, Fulanin Burtali Hadin, Albashi Yamma, Albashi Limawa and Albashi Arewa have community primary schools named after the communities which their wards attend but children of beneficiaries in Garin Tsamiya, Roba and Hadelawa attend nearby primary schools.

The Table indicates that all the eight communities did not have Clinics but accessed the nearest ones in their wards, that is, either the Marke Primary Health Centre or the Ungwar Jibril Primary Health Centre.

Table 5: Data analysis of structured interview of beneficiaries’ direct experience of CCT

Table 5.1        Food Consumption pattern of beneficiaries of cash transfer

Interview Questions	Responses
	Yes	No	Percentage
			Yes%	No%
Has your food consumption improved?	164	16	91.1	8.9
Do you give your children food to take to school?	147	33	81.7	18.3

Source: Field survey (2023)

From the table above, the results show that 91.1% agreed their food consumption had improved while 81.7% agreed that they give food to their children to take to school.

Interview Questions	Responses
	Twice	Thrice	Percentage
			Twice%	Thrice%
How many times do you eat in a day?	107	73	59.4	40.6
What about your children?	129	51	71.7	28.3

Source: Field survey (2023)

From the table above, the results show that 59.4% agreed that they eat twice a day while 40.6% eat thrice a day. 71.7% agreed their children eat thrice a day while 28.3% agreed their children eat thrice a day.

Table 5.2        School enrolment and attendance rates after Cash Transfer Benefits

Interview Questions	Responses
	Yes	No	Percentage
			Yes%	No%
Have you enrolled your children in school?	167	13	92.8	7.2
Did you buy school materials for them such as books, uniforms, and writing materials?	153	27	85	15
Have your children been attending school regularly?	158	22	87.8	12.2

Source: Field survey (2023)

From the table above, the results show that 92.8% agreed they enrolled their children in school while 7.2% did not agree. 85% agreed they bought school materials such as books, uniforms and writing materials for their children while 15% did not agree. 87.8% agreed their children attend school regularly while 12.2% disclosed their children attend school irregularly.

 

Table 5.3        Access to health services by beneficiaries of cash transfer

Interview Questions	Responses
	Yes	No	Percentage
			Yes%	No%
Have you or any of your family members ever attended any Health centre in your ward?	151	29	83.9	16.1

Source: Field survey (2023)

From the table above, the results show that 83.9% agreed they have at one time or other visited a primary health centre while 16.1% have not.

Interview Questions	Responses
	Twice	Thrice	Percentage
			Twice%	Thrice%
How many times has any member of your family members visited any PHC since you started receiving cash transfers?	119	61	66.1	33.9

Source: Field survey (2023)

From the above, 66.1% agreed they have visited a health facility at least twice since they started benefitting from the financial support while 33.9% did not.

Results and Discussions

Between August 3, 2023, and August 9, 2023, a survey was conducted among 180 beneficiaries in eight selected communities under Kaugama LGA of Jigawa State. Structured interview questions were employed, and the results are presented in Tables 5.1, 5.2, and 5.3 above. The survey revealed a significant improvement in the food consumption patterns of beneficiaries who received a bi-monthly cash transfer of N10,000. This improvement led to enhanced purchasing power, facilitating not only improved food consumption but also the ability to purchase books and uniforms for their children, provide better clothing for family members, and increase the number of animals herded, including cows, sheep, and goats.

The positive change in consumption patterns was attributed to the beneficiaries joining asset acquisition groups under the Savings and Group Mobilisation (SGM), emphasising the relevance of social capital theory and networking among community members. Consequently, they were able to afford to enrol more of their children in schools as they could purchase necessary educational materials.

Additionally, the tables indicated that the beneficiaries interviewed acknowledged improved access to health services. The findings from the conditional cash transfer programme in Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State are promising and reveal several positive outcomes for beneficiaries.

The impact of the conditional cash transfer programme on food consumption is noteworthy, indicating that the financial support provided has helped families secure a more consistent and nutritious food supply, effectively addressing food insecurity. Furthermore, the programme has played a significant role in enhancing access to health facilities for beneficiaries. This suggests that the cash transfers not only alleviated financial barriers to healthcare but also encouraged individuals to seek medical assistance when needed, potentially improving overall health outcomes.

The positive effect of the conditional cash transfer programme extends to education in the region. Beneficiaries are now better equipped to enrol more children in schools, contributing to higher attendance rates and potentially leading to improved educational attainment and prospects for the community's future. 

The findings underscore the positive impact of the conditional cash transfer programme in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State. The programme effectively addresses key issues related to food security, healthcare access, and education, highlighting the significance of targeted social interventions in improving the well-being of vulnerable populations.

Conclusion and Recommendations

In conclusion, the findings from the conditional cash transfer programme in the Kaugama Local Government Area of Jigawa State are highly encouraging. The programme has positively impacted food security, healthcare access, and education for its beneficiaries. It has ensured a more consistent and nutritious food supply, removed financial barriers to healthcare, and increased school enrollment rates. These results underscore the significance of targeted social interventions in enhancing the well-being of vulnerable populations and reflect the programme's effectiveness in addressing critical socio-economic challenges in the local government.

Based on the promising outcomes in the Kaugama Local Government Area, it is recommended that the conditional cash transfer programme be upscale to cover more beneficiaries in Jigawa State. This could have a wider-reaching positive impact on food security, healthcare access, and education in the region.

To ensure the continued success of the programme, it's crucial to establish a robust planning, monitoring and evaluation process with a good reporting system. Regular assessments can help identify areas for improvement and track the long-term impact of the programme on beneficiaries' lives.

Foster community engagement and awareness campaigns to ensure that potential beneficiaries are aware of the programme and its benefits. This can help maximise the programme's reach and ensure that those who need it most can access the support it provides.

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