Information Management Training Improves the Knowledge and Skills of 43 Humanitarian Partners in Northeast Nigeria

Funded by USAID, iMMAP works hand in hand with OCHA and the Sector Coordinators to identify priority IM capacity building needs, design training activities, identify participants, deliver and facilitate the capacity building activities.


Humanitarian partners responding to the crisis in northeast Nigeria


The seventh round of the Humanitarian Information Management Training and Capacity Building Program was conducted from 15-19 April 2019 and attended by 43 humanitarian partners—98% of whom were Nigerian nationals responding to the crisis in northeastern Nigeria. The training was conducted at the American University of Nigeria Conference Center in Yola, Adamawa State. Of the participants, 37% were female and 63% male. By organizational type, 63% were from national NGOs, 23% worked with international NGOs, 9% with United Nations agencies and 5% were from the academia.

The purpose of the training was to strengthen their capacity to optimize information management tools, platforms, technologies, and best practices for a better, more effective response, in alignment with the humanitarian principles. The capacity building activities were facilitated by iMMAP, in collaboration with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA). This was the seventh humanitarian IM training in Nigeria. The sixth training round was held from 1-5 Aril 2019 in Damaturu, and it followed the training in Maiduguri (18-22 March), and two Training of Trainers (TOT) in the Humanitarian Context workshops conducted in Borno and Adamawa
states in January.

Mr. Richard Senoga, iMMAP Nigeria senior IMO, helping the trainees

Building and strengthening the capacity of national actors is consistent with the need for localizing humanitarian and development assistance, a key pillar that is upheld by the wider humanitarian and development community, and highlighted in the 2019-2021 Humanitarian Response Strategy for Nigeria. Capacity building is helping strengthen national response mechanisms, enabling better management of crises, ensuring sustainability of response activities, and helping to address the root causes of the humanitarian crisis.

To assess progress in learning, two tests were administered to each of the participants at the beginning and end of the training. The tests contained questions related to humanitarian information management, the cluster/sector approach, humanitarian coordination, conduct of needs assessments, response monitoring and essential geographical information systems.

Round seven Information Management training for humanitarian actors in northeast Nigeria

The average knowledge level in the pre-training test (attempted by 37 of participants) was 21.5%. After the training, the knowledge level had increased to an average of 56.8% based on scores in the post-training test (also attempted by 37 participants), accounting for an overall 35.3% average improvement in knowledge and skills. The calculation excludes scores of participants who did not attempt either of the tests. Pre-training and post-training testing constituted one of the methods used to assess learning progress—and alone, may not tell the full story. Additional detail will be provided in an integrated report covering IM training and capacity building activities in all the three conflict-affected states in the northeastern later.

Infographic representing the participants' breakdown, and the knowledge increase during round 7 of IM training

Since its inception in March 2018, a total of 296 humanitarian workers responding to the northeast Nigeria crisis have directly benefited from the IM Capacity Building Program with 32 in Round I, 39 in Round II, 70 in Round III, 53 in Round IV , 32 in Round V, and 28 in Round VI.

With support from the USAID Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), iMMAP started the information management training and capacity building program in Nigeria in January 2018. Under the program, iMMAP works hand in hand with the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) and the Sector Coordinators to identify priority IM capacity building needs, design training activities, identify participants, deliver and facilitate the capacity building activities.