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Governance & Structure
The NFF is designed to ensure accountability, transparency, and effectiveness — leveraging the strengths of diverse stakeholders while maintaining a clear focus on strategic objectives and local ownership.

Governance Philosophy

The NFF's governance structure is intentionally multi-stakeholder and regionally coherent. While UNDP serves as the Fund Manager (Technical Administration), the NFF operates independently from any single UN agency through its layered governance architecture. 

  • The Regional Governance Board provides strategic oversight and final funding decisions.
  • National Nexus Task Forces ensure country-level ownership and priority-setting.
  • The Independent Technical Review Committee (ITRC) safeguards merit-based, transparent proposal evaluation.
  • The NFF Secretariat manages day-to-day operations and coordination.

The Four Governance Bodies

1. Regional Governance Board

Composition: 

Resident Coordinators / Humanitarian Coordinators (RC/HCs), regional representatives of UN agencies, INGOs, NNGOs, LCBC Secretariat, and donor representatives. 

Key Functions: 

  • Approves allocation strategies and overall funding decisions
  • Provides strategic oversight and risk management for the Facility
  • Ensures alignment with the Regional Strategy for Stabilisation, Resilience and Reconstruction (RS-SRR) 
  • Meets regularly, at least once a year

Donor Participation in Governance

Contributing donors to the NFF are granted Board membership with full voting rights for the duration of their contribution.

Interested donors may also be invited to participate as observers.

Donors interested in contributing to the NFF or participating as observers are encouraged to contact the Secretariat directly:  [email protected]

2.  National Nexus Task Forces (NNTFs) 

Composition: 

Multi-stakeholder bodies in each country, led by the Resident Coordinator’s Office, and comprising United Nations agencies, international and national non-governmental organizations, national government representatives, and the relevant national Nexus Working Groups.

Key Functions: 

  • Develop and validate national nexus strategies aligned with country priorities
  • Define thematic and geographic focus areas for each Call for Proposals
  • Ensure alignment with national development plans, Durable Solutions strategies, and humanitarian response frameworks

3.  Independent Technical Review Committee (ITRC) 

Composition: 

Ad hoc panel of independent regional experts with expertise in stabilization, peacebuilding, resilience, and nexus programming. 

Key Functions: 

  • Conducts preliminary review and shortlisting of Stage 1 Concept Notes
  • Carries out full technical review of Stage 2 project proposals
  • Scores proposals against criteria: strategic relevance, technical quality, consortium strength, risk management, and value for money
  • Provides recommendations to the Regional Governance Board for final decisions
  • Operates independently and under strict ethical standards and conflict-of-interest protocols

4.  NFF Regional Secretariat 

Composition: 

Seconded personnel hosted by UNDP and UNHCR, based in Dakar, Senegal, with support from FONGA and the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).

Key Functions: 

  • Manages coordination of all NFF governance processes
  • Consolidates national nexus strategies into the regional framework
  • Prepares, launches, and manages Calls for Proposals
  • Conducts monitoring and reporting on funded projects
  • Manages public communications, partner relations, and the NFF mailing list
  • Supports capacity development for national partners

Technical Administration — UNDP as Fund Manager

UNDP administers the NFF as part of the Special Multi-Partner Delivery Fund (SMDF). As Fund Manager, UNDP is responsible for: 

  • Financial due diligence (HACT assessments) for all consortium members 
  • Signing bilateral agreements with each consortium member organization 
  • Disbursement of project funding in agreed tranches linked to milestones 
  • Financial reporting to the Regional Governance Board and donors 
  • Ensuring compliance with UN financial regulations and accountability standards 

Independence and Multi-Stakeholder Design

A key design principle of the NFF is that it functions independently from any single UN agency. This is reinforced by: 

  • The multi-agency co-chairing of the Regional Board, including both UNDP and UNHCR
  • An independent ITRC with no agency affiliations
  • A dedicated NFF Secretariat function that serves all governance bodies