In April 2020, the Ministry of Digital Economy and Digital Transformation (MENTD) of Togo launched the Novissi cash transfer scheme. An unconditional cash transfer (UCT) to assist informal workers whose livelihoods have been upended by the coronavirus pandemic, Novissi is a fully digital social assistance program. This case study details the design process for the program, and its implementation during the coronavirus pandemic, which can interest leaders of social assistance programs in other contexts. It also highlights lessons learned on the use of mobile money to support fully digital social assistance.
Impact / Outcome
1,632,949 applications were received. 516, 573 beneficiaries were female and 303,399 were male. Total amount disbursed was 23.9 million USD. In October 2020, the Government of Togo partnered with GiveDirectly to expand Novissi to assist vulnerable people living in the 200 poorest cantons of Togo. As of July 2021, more than 8 million USD was disbursed to 138,531 beneficiaries through the partnership with GiveDirectly.
Funding sources
Public
Key Metrics
Provide an emergency cash assistance stream to informal workers
Operating model
Fully publicYear published
01 January 2021 
Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)