This report examines one of the most critical aspects of reintegration after armed group involvement – establishing livelihoods and sources of income to replace the support often previously provided by armed groups. It compares the economic reintegration of former Boko Haram associates, and those exiting community security groups like the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), with community members who were never affiliated with any armed actor.
The report assesses how former associates of Boko Haram and former affiliates of community security actors like the CJTF and Yan Gora are doing economically compared to their non- affiliated peers, to inform reintegration support in the region. The findings are based on three-part survey conducted in the North East of Nigeria between 2021-2023 and highlight the reintegration journeys of individuals who left Boko Haram prior to the “mass exits” following the death of leader Abubakar Shekau in May 2021. A comparative section incorporates more recent data from a panel survey conducted in 2024-2025, showing how earlier findings remain relevant for those who exited during or after the mass exits.
Citation: Jente Althuis, Kato Van Broeckhoven, Francesca Batault, Mohammed Bukar and Fatima Yetcha Ajimi Badu, "Rebuilding Lives: Understanding Economic Well-being After Exiting an Armed Group in the North East of Nigeria,” Findings Report 48, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2025, https://doi.org/10.37559/MEAC/25/12.