Better Assistance in Crisis (BASIC) Research, IDS, Funded by FCDO

The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC) Nigeria, is currently collaborating  with the Chronic Poverty Advisory Network (CPAN), situated at the  Institute of Development Studies (IDS) Sussex, United Kingdom on a 2-year Research study (December 2020 to November 2024) called the Better Assistance in Crisis (BASIC) Research. The BASIC research pillar is complemented by a second research: Data and Evidence to end Extreme Poverty (DEEP) Research. In Nigeria, DEEP is anchored by the Centre for the Study of Economies of Africa (CSEA). Both research pillars (BASIC and DEEP) are funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).  

The BASIC Research aims to explore how government social assistance and humanitarian assistance can be better designed and implemented to support people living in crisis situations. The objectives of the BASIC study are to: To understand the relationship between complex crises (namely armed conflict, climate shocks and stressors, and COVID-19), poverty dynamics and social assistance in Nigeria, with special reference to selected high poverty  States (Ekiti State, Jigawa State, Borno State, Anambra State, Akwa State, and Benue State) and to engage in a dialogue with policy makers and programme designers at federal and state levels (in selected states), and with development partners on priority measures for poverty reduction (with a focus but not limited to social assistance) and on key aspects of implementation.

This current ongoing research is a Nigeria component of a 4-country study covering, Nigeria, Niger, Lebanon and Yemen. The dRPC has had a long experience collaborating with IDS on poverty research in Nigeria.