Bridging the Gap: How Paycode Can Help Overcome Cash Assistance Restrictions in the Sahel and Beyond
- Gabe Ruhan
- Apr 3
- 4 min read
The Sahel region stands at a crossroads of crisis and opportunity. With over 32 million people in need of humanitarian aid, and increasing restrictions on Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA), delivering timely and effective financial support has become more difficult than ever. A recent report by the CALP Network uncovers seven core drivers behind these restrictions – from security concerns and negative perceptions to political tensions and operational hurdles.
But what if technology could help change the narrative?
Paycode, with its robust biometric and offline-first digital payment solutions, offers an innovative, secure, and inclusive pathway to delivering aid, even in the most fragile environments. Here’s how.
1. Addressing Security Concerns Through Biometric Identity
The report highlights that over 70% of stakeholders cite security concerns as a key reason for CVA restrictions – primarily the fear that cash may fall into the hands of armed groups or be misappropriated.
Paycode’s biometric system ensures that only verified individuals can access funds. By capturing and storing biometric data (such as fingerprints or facial recognition) linked to a unique digital identity, the technology makes impersonation, fraud, and duplication nearly impossible – even in offline environments.
Crucially, this system works without constant internet access, which is vital in remote or conflict-affected areas of the Sahel. Where mobile networks are unreliable or restricted, Paycode can still securely verify identities and process transactions, reducing the risk of leakage and diversion.
2. Combating Negative Perceptions with Transparent Data
Misunderstandings about how CVA functions and its impact on recipients are cited by over 60% of respondents in the report. Fears that CVA fosters dependency, fuels inflation, or encourages corruption continue to hinder progress.
Transparency is built into Paycode’s DNA. Its system generates a clear digital trail for every transaction, from disbursement to receipt. This allows humanitarian organisations and government partners to easily monitor where funds go and how they are used.
Real-time reporting tools also provide insights into beneficiary demographics, disbursement timelines, and usage patterns – helping to counter myths with hard data. For example, evidence can show that most recipients use CVA funds to meet essential needs, not to support illicit activity.
3. Strengthening Humanitarian-Government Relations with Inclusive Design
Poor communication and a lack of trust between governments and humanitarian actors is a recurring theme in the report. Authorities often feel sidelined from CVA planning and execution, fuelling suspicion and, at times, outright bans.
Paycode’s model promotes government partnership from the outset. The platform can integrate with national ID systems – as successfully piloted in Nigeria – allowing governments to retain oversight of recipient validation while benefiting from a secure, scalable solution.
Moreover, Paycode can share programme data with authorities in a controlled and transparent manner, building trust while maintaining data protection. This inclusive approach aligns with one of the report’s key recommendations: proactively engaging government actors to reduce the risk of restrictions.
4. Ensuring Social Cohesion and Fair Targeting
Perceptions that CVA interventions favour certain communities over others can generate social tension and resentment – particularly between host communities and displaced populations.
Paycode enables highly accurate targeting through biometric registration, ensuring each eligible person is verified and included, without duplication or bias. The system prevents “double-dipping” and supports geographic and demographic segmentation – essential for fair and transparent delivery.
Additionally, community feedback mechanisms can be built into the platform, enabling recipients to report issues or concerns, helping humanitarian actors respond in real-time and make necessary adjustments.
5. Overcoming Operational Challenges with Offline Capability
Operational challenges such as poor coordination, fragmented implementation, and inaccessibility are cited in the report as major contributors to CVA bans.
Paycode’s system is fully offline-capable. Field agents can register and pay beneficiaries using biometric smart cards – no internet required. Once connectivity is restored, data synchronises automatically with central servers.
This means aid can reach individuals in even the most isolated and insecure regions without compromising accuracy or security. It also prevents delays in disbursement due to technical issues, thereby building trust among beneficiaries and local authorities alike.
6. Aligning with Economic and Development Goals
Governments in the Sahel are increasingly focused on long-term development objectives and are often sceptical of short-term interventions like CVA. Some even view such aid as economically disruptive – particularly when cash transfers exceed local wage levels.
Rather than operate in isolation, Paycode’s platform can act as a bridge between humanitarian aid and development efforts. For example, biometric transaction data can help build financial histories for unbanked individuals – paving the way for access to savings, microloans and insurance products.
By creating a pathway from CVA to financial inclusion and economic empowerment, Paycode supports the kind of long-term resilience that governments are striving for. Its data can also help inform national social protection strategies and align CVA efforts with broader policy goals.
7. Enabling Adaptation with Flexible Modalities
The report encourages the exploration of alternative delivery mechanisms when restrictions are in place – including vouchers, community fairs, and cash-for-work schemes.
Paycode’s platform is modular and highly adaptable. It can be configured to manage various delivery modalities – cash, vouchers, or in-kind support – depending on what is feasible or permitted in a given context. Its built-in compliance and reporting tools also enable organisations to pivot quickly in response to shifting political or logistical conditions.
This flexibility ensures the continuity of assistance, even under significant restrictions, and allows organisations to meet evolving needs without sacrificing transparency or accountability.
Turning Risk into Resilience
Restrictions on CVA in the Sahel and beyond are complex – driven by fear, misunderstanding, and fragile political dynamics. But they are not insurmountable.
As the CALP report highlights, the solution lies in transparency, collaboration, innovation, and local inclusion. Paycode’s technology is uniquely placed to support these pillars. With a proven track record in delivering secure, inclusive financial services across emerging markets, Paycode doesn’t merely mitigate the challenges identified – it transforms them into opportunities.
For governments seeking oversight, Paycode offers transparency. For humanitarian actors seeking reach, it offers reliability. And for millions of people seeking dignity and choice, it offers access.
Find the report here:
