The SALW Nigerian component is an Activity under the STRENGTHENING PEACE, SECURITY AND STABILITY IN WEST AFRICA (ECOWAS GRANT 2) awarded to the ECOWAS Commission by the European Union in 2016. This Activity faced a number of initial challenges and delays to get the implementation off the ground as the ECOWAS Commission was unable to reach an agreement with the initially proposed implementing partner – the UNDP.

As a result of the delayed period of start-up, there was the need to re-secure the buy-in and commitment of critical stakeholders. During the inception phase of the Activity, LITE-Africa and PRESCOM effectively engaged all relevant stakeholders including the governments of the 7 target states, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto, Zamfara, Akwa-ibom and Cross-River states.That evidently paved the way for the successful commencement of the implementation of the Action. Also, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020 drastically slowed down the pace of implementation of the Activity. A case of Force Majeure was declared, and implementation work suspended from 1^st April to 30^th July 2020, to adhere to government-imposed restrictions and lockdown.   Due to the suspension of the Activity implementation and COVID-19 pandemic, the implementation period of the Grant was extended by 12 months.

Despite the effect of COVID-19, considerable progress was made in the implementation of the SALW Action in the efforts to stem the flow of illicit small arms and light weapons in Nigeria and the ECOWAS region.

The action outputs and planned activities:

• Sensitization and Advocacy
• Community engagement/town hall with community members
• Support to PRESCOM for legal and regulatory status
• Capacity Building Training for Security Forces and relevant actors on SALW in focal States. Capacity building training on border management
• Weapons Collection, Registration and Destruction Exercise
• Weapons Storage Facility – 20ft Container
• Conduct needs assessment missions/community engagements in target communities.
• Implementation of alternative Livelihood support to the South – South regions (western axis) to prevent violent conflicts
• Conduct of a comprehensive skills mapping for alternative livelihood support after disarmament – Consultancy to conduct the orientation and skills mapping exercise.
• Provide training support for targeted beneficiaries (Skills and attitudinal training, Vocational training, Business development training -Data entry, Internship program/career development, Agricultural business Greenhouse farming)
• Institutional Capacity Strengthening

The action results:

Sensitization and Advocacy

1. Development of communicationand advocacy strategy for Nigeria focused on the target states
2. Key messages to be developed in English and 2 major local languages (Hausa & Efik).
3. IEC materials – T-Shirts, Face caps and Handbills produced.

Community engagement/town hall with community members

Two stakeholders’ forums and community engagement sessions were held on the 24^th and 27^th February 2020 in Uyo and Calabar the 2 south-south action states. In the North-West action states, re-engagement, stakeholders forum and community engagement session were held on 19-20^th March 2020 in Katsina State. (See appendix 11 for attendance lists and activity reports).  An advocacy visit was made to the Governor of Kebbi state in March 2020.

• 94 stakeholders in 2 south-south states re-engaged (58 Uyo, 36 Calabar)
• 43 stakeholders in one north-west state re-engaged in Katsina state
• More armed groups and individuals willing to surrender illicit SALW in exchange for livelihood programs in Cross Rivers identified.
• Groups that voluntarily surrendered arms re-engaged and list of beneficiaries for the livelihood skills training in Akwa-Ibom and Cross-River states compiled.
• Armed groups participated in data capture exercise for the livelihood program opportunity and micro-projects secured.

Support to PRESCOM for legal and regulatory status

High level engagements with the National Assembly members and Executives arms of Government

In the processes of implementing SALW action activities in Nigeria, PRESCOM has written to the Presidential Technical Committee on SALW headed by the Vice President to improve the legal and regulatory status for SALW in Nigeria.

Capacity Building Training for Security Forces and relevant actors on SALW in focal States. Capacity building training on border management

This activity was undertaken by LITE- Africa and PRESCOM with support from the EU and ECOWAS. It was carried out across the 6 geopolitical zones for the first stream of trainings.  The locations of the training were: South-South – Port-Harcourt, River State, South-East, Enugu, Enugu State, South-West, Lagos, Lagos State, North-West, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State, North-Central, Kaduna, Kaduna State and North-East, Bauchi, Bauchi State. It brought together 302-persons security agents, including peace and conflict civil society organizations for border management training stream I.

• Validation of mapping and Inventory exercise for locally manufactured Weapons and Fire Arms – validation workshop
• Survey on locally manufactured Weapons and Fire Arms in Nigeria

Weapons Collection, Registration and Destruction Exercise

• 7 numbers of 40ft shelter/tent armoury containers constructed and installed at selected security agencies locations in 7 Action states.
• 5 numbers of 20ft containers constructed and installed at selected security agencies locations in 5 Action states.

Shelter/Tent Armory Facility – 40ft Container

Features of the 40ft facility

1. Padding of the containers
2. Roofing
3. Frames
4. Doors with projection
5. Weapon storage box
6. Dressing and painting
7. Construction of galvanized chain link fence
8. Installation of solar panel light
9. Security padlocks
10. Fire extinguisher and
11. Fabrication of unloading bay

Weapons Storage Facility – 20ft Container

Features of the 20ft facility

1. Weapons storage box installed
2. Dressing
3. Roofing
4. Doors with projection
5. Painting of the containers.

Conduct needs assessment missions/community engagements in target communities. 

• Needs assessment with 60 stakeholders in 2 south-south states of Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states conducted.
• Stakeholders in Cross-River committed to surrender weapons and arms.
• Beneficiaries and community micro projects needs in 2 south-south states identified.
• Communities for micro projects identified and projects in Akwa-Ibom and Cross-River states confirmed.
• Three communities in Akwa-Ibom choice of micro projects submitted.
• Three communities in Cross-River State choice of micro projects submitted

Implementation of alternative Livelihood support to the South – South regions (western axis) to prevent violent conflicts

Activity. 5.1 Conduct and set up a comprehensive biometric registration system targeted at beneficiaries for provision of alternative livelihood programming – Purchase of 2 data capture biometrics equipment contract awarded.

Tasks undertaken included:

• Bids for the supply of 2 data capture biometrics equipment and step-down training to operators evaluated and contractor engaged.
• 2 data capture biometrics equipment purchasedand installed. The unit cost for the biometrics machine is EUR13, 119.63 – NGN5, 460,000.
• 2 weeks training for 6 enumerators on the use of the biometric machines in Abuja completed.
• Data capture of 368 direct beneficiaries in Akwa-Ibom and Cross River states concluded

Conduct of a comprehensive skills mapping for alternative livelihood support after disarmament – Consultancy to conduct the orientation and skills mapping exercise.

The Implementation of alternative livelihood support to the South-South regions to prevent violent conflict processes was initiated. There was a call for expression of interest, 3 EOIs were evaluated of which one was selected and contracted.

• Skills mapping tools developed.
• comprehensive skills mapping for alternative livelihood support after disarmament in Akwa-Ibom and Cross-River States concluded
• Report of skills mapping developed, submitted and approved.

Provide training support for targeted beneficiaries (Skills and attitudinal training, Vocational training, Business development training -Data entry, Internship program/career development, Agricultural business Greenhouse farming)

• A training coordinator/organisation was engaged through a competitive bidding process.  The Training coordinator coordinates the skills and attitudinal training, vocational training, business development training, data entry, Internship program/career development, agricultural business greenhouse farming at the various centres in Delta State, Enugu State and FCT, Abuja and Uyo.The beneficiaries were taken out of their states to allow for total concentration and avoid the distraction of trainees being in their states.
  • Livelihood training beneficiaries from Akwa-Ibom and Cross-River States deployed to training Centre’s in Delta, Enugu and FCT.
  • 300 livelihood skills beneficiaries trained.

Institutional Capacity Strengthening

Activity 6.1. National Programme Officer for programme implementation and coordination engaged.