Recipients of the N85 million NSI Award at the dRPC office on Monday, 23rd June 2025 in Abuja
By Victoria Onehi
The development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), with the support of the Ford Foundation, has awarded N85 million to 17 Nigerian indigenous Non-Profit organisations under the NGO Support Initiatives, which aims to bridge the funding gaps due to USAID funding cuts.
Launching the award on Monday in Abuja, the Executive Director of dRPC, Dr Judith-Ann Walker, disclosed that the intervention was aimed at supporting NGOs in Nigeria who lost funding from USAID and other international NGOs within the year.
While describing the awardees’ proposals as excellent, she urged them to use the fund to improve the living conditions of the communities they work in. She added that each of the 17 NGOs would be given N5 million to implement their plans in three months.
‘I congratulate you on winning this first cohort of this critical intervention, and I hope you will continue to do your best in a transparent and accountable manner to implement what you proposed to ‘, she said.
Dr Walker, therefore, described the NSI grant as significant for the civil society space in Nigeria. It will provide much-needed funding to NGOs facing financial difficulties, enabling them to continue their essential work.
The grant will ensure the long-term viability of civil society organisations, enabling them to maintain their operations and continue to have a positive impact. It will also offer opportunities for NGOs to strengthen their capacities and improve their effectiveness in addressing social issues.
Overall, this NSI grant is a lifeline for many NGOs, helping them navigate the funding crisis and continue their valuable contributions to society. ‘She said.
In his presentation at the award ceremony, Dr Stanley Ukpai, the Director of Programmes at the dRPC, disclosed that the US government terminated 83% of USAID programmes worldwide, cancelling over 5,200 contracts that disrupted HIV, TB, and malaria treatments.
He added that over 1,000 Nigerian jobs were lost due to USAID cuts in Nigeria alone, with over 5,800 programmes terminated worldwide.
‘This is what the dRPC is responding to, to bridge these gaps that would has brought about substantial disruptions in various sectors, including health, education, and economic development’ He added.
Earlier, one of the NSI Assessors and Mentor, who provided backstop services to the awardees, General Shina Ogunbiyi, commended dRPC and the Gates Foundation, who he said have provided funding under the PACFaH@ scale project to develop their capacities, and which they are now stepping down to the new awardees.
He urged the recipients to ensure transparency and accountability in implementing the project, adding that their performance will open opportunities for more NGOs to access the second cohort of funding that will be launched in September.
One of the recipients, Executive Director of the Visionary Women in Agricultural Development in Africa, Mrs Okafor P. Nkechi commended the dRPC and the Ford Foundation for the award and promised to use it properly to improve women’s lives in Anambra State.
‘ We commend dRPC for this unique intervention, which will support local NGOs in Nigeria when global funding is increasingly limited and in some cases stopped.’
Another recipient, Executive Director, Gender Equality Peace and Development Centre, Charity Charles has this to say.
“This grant will actually help my organisation, because there are a lot of people that lost their job at the point of termination of funding from USAID. So most of them will be called back to get back their jobs, for them to be able to deliver this component of the prevention activity of GBV that was terminated.So I’m happy about this grant by dRPC, because we are going back to them with so much joy and excitement.”She said.
Another recipient and Executive Director Blue Sapphire Hub Foundation,Faiz Muhammad commended dRPC for this unique intervention, which he said will provide the necessary support to local NGOs in Nigeria at a time when global funding is increasingly limited.
Highlights of the ceremony included the handing over of cheques for N5 million to each of the 17 recipients who won the grant.
