New Incentives

New Incentives identified a critical gap in Nigeria's immunization infrastructure: despite vaccines being available and free, millions of mothers weren't bringing their children for routine immunizations, leaving infants vulnerable to preventable diseases. ​​‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌The problem hit hardest in rural northern Nigeria, where immunization rates lagged far behind national targets and disease outbreaks remained common. The challenge was measurable—vaccination coverage data clearly showed which communities had the lowest uptake and which children remained unprotected. Before New Incentives, policymakers had tried awareness campaigns, mobile clinics, and training health workers, yet behavioral barriers persisted. New Incentives hypothesized that small cash incentives could overcome logistical and opportunity costs that prevented mothers from vaccinating. Early validation came through pilot programs showing dramatic increases in immunization rates when mothers received modest payments upon completing vaccination schedules. Health facility records provided concrete proof that the approach worked, and the simplicity of the mechanism—direct cash for completed vaccinations—meant it could scale across regions without requiring complex infrastructure changes.