By Chuka Nnabuife
“Instead of giving a man fish, teach him how to fish.” That enduring idea sits at the heart of Anambra State’s social safety strategy, especially under the Solution Government of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo. The aim is clear: move people beyond palliatives and into lasting prosperity — turning need into capacity, and capacity into wealth. History shows that societies which invest in people’s abilities, rather than short-term relief, make deeper and more durable progress.
The thought is not new. In 1885, the English writer Anne Isabella Ritchie reflected on the same principle, while earlier thinkers such as Confucius and Laozi advanced similar ideas. In modern development thinking, scholars and practitioners consistently rank skill-building above temporary relief. Cash handouts — often dismissed in Nigeria as “stomach infrastructure” — may ease immediate pain, but rarely solve poverty.
Teaching people how to earn a living builds independence, dignity and long-term security. It reduces dependency, strengthens confidence, and drives productivity. Above all, it creates resilient communities where people thrive through their own effort.
This is the logic behind the Anambra model. Its social safety net is designed not just to reduce poverty, but to grow human capability and economic resilience. Under Governor Soludo, the system is intentionally not welfare-heavy. It is built on a simple but powerful idea: empowerment as social protection, not cash as relief.
This approach aligns with leading global thought. Development economist Amartya Sen argues that true development lies in expanding people’s freedoms — their ability to live productive lives. Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz adds that well-designed social protection can reduce inequality and improve economic performance.
Effective safety nets, as noted by institutions like the World Bank and scholars such as Esther Duflo, must go beyond quick cash fixes. They should combine protection, promotion and transformation. Protection eases immediate hardship; promotion builds skills and livelihoods; transformation tackles the deeper causes of poverty. Anambra’s approach reflects this balance.
Tackling poverty requires clear targeting, transparency and scale. It also demands sustained investment in the drivers of wellbeing — education, healthcare, transport and skills — supported by modest income relief where necessary. These are the levers that enable people to participate fully in the economy.
Anambra’s strong investment in healthcare is a case in point. The state has expanded access, upgraded facilities and subsidised care for the most vulnerable. Pregnant women receive free delivery services in public hospitals, while children’s healthcare is heavily subsidised. It is therefore no surprise that Anambra earned national recognition as Nigeria’s top-performing state in healthcare delivery in 2024.
Education is another pillar. From large-scale teacher recruitment to school upgrades and continuous training, the state treats education as a core tool of governance. Tuition is free in public primary and secondary schools, and unnecessary levies have been scrapped. The results are visible: Anambra students consistently rank among the best in national examinations such as WAEC, NECO and JAMB, and regularly win national academic awards.
Crucially, Anambra blends short-term relief with long-term empowerment. This makes its safety net more comprehensive than many others. While states like Lagos, Kaduna, Oyo and Ekiti have introduced useful interventions—from transport subsidies to targeted cash support—these often lean more towards immediate relief than structural empowerment. Just giving a man fish, not teaching him how to fish.
That said, Anambra also benefits from federal programmes that provide direct support. These include Conditional Cash Transfers, youth employment schemes like N-Power and TraderMoni, and data-driven targeting through the National Social Register. Periodic federal grants to vulnerable households also play a role.
Beyond these, the state runs its own enduring initiatives. The Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA) supports entrepreneurs with funding and training. The Anambra State Health Insurance Scheme (ASHIA) expands affordable healthcare to all citizens and residents. There is an all-round free basic education in the state's schools, scholarships and bursaries support learning, while SME grants, agricultural programmes and youth skills schemes drive economic inclusion.
Flagship initiatives such as the 'One Youth, Two Skills Solution' programme and the Solution Innovation District (SID) have trained tens of thousands of young people in practical and digital skills — preparing them for modern economic opportunities.
In all, Anambra’s social safety model stands out for its clarity and purpose. It does not merely cushion hardship; it builds capacity. It does not just give fish; it teaches fishing. It is a model that prioritises dignity, productivity and long-term growth — and one that can be improved upon, but hardly faulted.
...Chuka Nnabuife, FNGE, FSNA, author of several books writes from Awka, Anambra State. NNL.