Nigeria is set to receive a $500 million loan from the World Bank.
This initiative, part of the Nigeria Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) Governance Program, aims to tackle critical staffing shortages and enhance performance management for basic education teachers and primary healthcare workers.
The "Program Information Document" for the appraisal stage of the HOPE Governance Program outlines the key objectives of this loan.
The funds will be directed towards reducing staffing gaps and improving deployment and management practices within these essential public service sectors.
Additionally, the program will implement National Identification Numbers (NIN) and Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) to combat payroll fraud.
"This results area will incentivize the enhancement of sector and workforce planning functions, the reduction of staffing gaps, and improved deployment and management practices for basic education and primary healthcare workers," the document states.
It further adds that the adoption of systems like the Central Bank of Nigeria’s BVN and NIN platforms will help check payroll fraud, enable biometric check-ins, community monitoring, performance bonuses, and automatic payroll deductions.
The Washington-based bank is expected to approve the loan by September 2024, marking a crucial step towards improving the operational efficiency and effectiveness of Nigeria's education and health sectors.
This development comes at a time when Nigeria's health budget is among the lowest globally, as highlighted by the World Bank.
The infusion of $500 million is anticipated to bring much-needed improvements and reforms, ensuring better service delivery and management in these critical areas.
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