Monitoring Recovered Assets through Transparency and Accountability (MANTRA)

Strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) and citizens to monitor the use of repatriated assets in Nigeria

The Monitoring of Recovered Assets through Transparency and Accountability (MANTRA) project was designed to strengthen the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) and citizens to monitor the use of repatriated assets, advocate for improvements in the policy, legislative and institutional frameworks for the recovery and management of stolen assets in Nigeria, and mobilise Collective Action in demanding a more just society.

In 2017, the Nigerian and Swiss governments and the World Bank signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the return of $321 million stolen by the family of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, which the Nigerian Government committed to use for financing social welfare programmes.

Under the MANTRA project, the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) worked with the Federal Ministry of Justice (FMOJ), the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), the World Bank, the Swiss Embassy, 112 CSOs, 1460 field monitors, traditional/religious leaders, and the media to monitor the disbursement of the recovered assets used for a conditional cash transfer programme for most marginalised communities across 35 states under the National Social Investment Programme.

The project was implemented with funding from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

According to the MANTRA’s final report, the end-to-end monitoring at upstream and downstream levels of the utilisation of the $322.5million recovered assets and the yielded interest of $13,418,526.33 resulted in the payment of over 1,940,004 beneficiaries between 2018 and 2023, resulting in improved livelihoods for some of Nigeria’s poorest households.

In addition, the project’s advocacy efforts contributed to the adoption of the Proceeds of Crime Bill in Nigeria. As a result of the monitoring, officials caught stealing from the poor were reported and prosecuted. A grievance redress mechanism was put in place to address beneficiary’s complaints.