The Federal CARES Support Unit (FCSU) will be responsible for Programme management, day-to-day Programme support at the federal level, supporting the States (in conjunction with other Delivery Platforms) on technical and capacity issues, financial management, M&E, and peer learning. In this capacity, the FCSU will be responsible for ensuring that World Bank guidelines and procedures are followed on issues of procurement, disbursement, audit, overall financial management and ensure that the E&S guidelines are followed across the Programme implementation delivery units. The major subcomponents of the responsibilities of the FCSU are as follows:

Engagement and supervision of IVAs. The FCSU will finance the engagement of credible verification agent(s) to undertake verification of the achievement of DLIs across the results areas, in all participating States and at agreed assessment periods. International Economic Relations Department (IERD) (the Borrower) will engage the private sector IVA with support from the FCSU using agreed procurement process. The FCSU will contract, supervise and manage the IVAs, in line with the dictates of the GOM. The results of the verification exercise as submitted by the IVAs and validated by the FCSU and the supervisory body will serve as a basis of periodic disbursements to the State’s consolidated fund account, after the World Bank Task Team has provided necessary concurrence.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). This subcomponent will support an overall M&E framework for the N- CARES PforR including oversight for the activities of the IVAs in all the participating States and across all results areas. A participatory M&E scheme will be developed with quantitative and qualitative data collection at the State level to measure performance. A management information system (MIS) will be established in partnership with State governments. Periodic Programme performance reviews will be coordinated by the FCSU with the active participation of the State entities implementing the results areas.
Technical support and capacity building. The FCSU will be funded to assist State-level implementing agencies in core Programme delivery functions such as procurement, financial management, M&E, MIS, Information & Communication Technology (ICT) and on other operational matters. The support will also include institutional strengthening and skills development (capacity building) for key actors implementing the interventions at the State and federal level.
Financial management. The IPF will also fund the management of proceed accounts and financial processes of the NG-CARES PforR. A Financial Management Department of the FCSU will be resourced to manage and provide periodic accounts of the financial disbursement to States based on periodic achievement of DLIs, as assessed by the IVAs and approved by the FCSU management and with concurrence of the World Bank.
The specific roles and responsibilities of the FCSU include the following:

Supervising and managing the private sector IVAs for the verification of DLIs and the authorization and disbursement of the funds to State Treasuries. IERD will be responsible for engagement of the IVA with support of the FCSU, Collating overall progress of implementation according to the Results Framework including the PDO and intermediate indicators, Providing technical support in collaboration with the Federal Delivery Platforms to assist the State CARES delivery platforms (CSDA, SCTU, PWF, Fadama, MSE, and so on) at the State level to build the capacity of platforms and improve delivery efficiency,
Organizing peer learning and experience sharing among State teams—anchored by the NGF Secretariat,
Organizing quarterly implementation progress review meetings,
Preparing quarterly progress reports for onward submission to the FCSC and the World Bank,
Serving as secretariat for the Federal CARES Technical Committee (FCTC) and the Federal Cares Steering Committee (FCSC)Managing and ensuring disbursement of funds for the Federal level activities and to States implementing agencies,
Preparing work Programme and budget for the Federal component of the Programme,
Producing quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reports on the performance and financial standing of the project,
Managing the project M&E and information system, including a database of service providers.

The FCSU in providing technical support to the States shall work in collaboration with the following Institutions:

Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development (FMHADMSD) through NCTO on Results Area 1,
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development through the National Fadama Coordination Office (NFCO) on Results Area 2,
Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment through BOI – on Results Area 3,
Nigeria Governors’ Forum Secretariat which will anchor peer learning and experience sharing.