Lomé (Togo), 18 August 2020 – Two weeks since NOVISSI’s activation on 3 August 2020 in the canton of Soudou (398 km north of Lomé in the Prefecture of Assoli), the cash transfer programme has recorded remarkable success with nearly 85% of the adult population of the canton now benefiting from financial support.

In response to an increase in COVID-19 cases in Soudou, the Togolese Government urgently implemented restrictive physical distancing measures in the canton to limit the spread of the virus. The area has been cordoned off and a daily curfew from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. has been instated. In addition to these measures, the Government decided to widely deploy NOVISSI in the canton by relaxing eligibility criteria relating to profession. In Soudou, NOVISSI aid is offered to the entire adult population regardless of profession, bar civil servants.

Beneficiaries are still required to register via dialling the USSD code *855# and using their voter card number and the NSF number indicated on the card. The monthly pay-out received remains unchanged—12,250 CFA francs for women and 10,500 CFA francs for men. Half of the amount is paid to beneficiaries every fortnight.

To date, 5,680 people representing 85% of the adult population of the canton of Soudou, have benefited from NOVISSI aid, for a total sum of nearly 33 million CFA Francs (49,635 Euros). Among the beneficiaries 55% are women and 45% are men. The top 5 professions of beneficiaries are homemakers (36%), farmers (27%), retailers (10%), pupils (8%) and shopkeepers (3%).

« NOVISSI’s success in Soudou marks a new stage in the delivery of social safety net programmes in Togo. It proves that rural populations do have the ability and interest to adopt digital solutions. »

Cina LAWSON, Minister of Posts, Digital Economy and Technological Innovation.

As a reminder, the NOVISSI programme overall now counts 1,393,980 registered people and 579,858 beneficiaries in total.