In 2017, Verbatim Virtual Solutions was engaged by DAI to deliver a suite of strategic communication products for the FCDO-funded Market Development in the Niger Delta (MADE) project. Operating across the nine Niger Delta states, MADE applied a systems-driven approach to catalyze inclusive economic growth, empower over half a million smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs, and lay the groundwork for sustainable private sector development. Verbatim played a central role in documenting and amplifying these achievements—translating complex market dynamics into compelling narratives that stimulated further investment and development impact.

Deploying Market Intelligence, Productive Knowledge, and Strategic Communications

At the core of Verbatim’s methodology was a commitment to stimulating the social accumulation of productive knowledge—the ability of communities to organize, share, and apply economic know-how, which is a decisive factor in explaining the wide income gaps between regions and nations. Verbatim recognizes that building and codifying productive knowledge is essential to driving economic growth, predicting national development trajectories, and fostering sustainable market systems.

Through extensive market intelligence gathering, beneficiary interviews, and stakeholder engagement, Verbatim developed a deep, field-informed understanding of six critical value chains—poultry, palm oil, leather, fisheries, cassava, and agricultural inputs. This intelligence was synthesized into:

• Six comprehensive initiative profiles capturing sector-specific opportunities and lessons
• Technical and annual reports supporting program performance management and donor reporting
• People-centered narratives showcasing real income gains and productivity improvements
• Strategic communications materials that positioned the MADE initiatives to external audiences, stimulating confidence and future private sector participation

These deliverables contributed to concrete program outcomes:

• 389,441 farmers demonstrated increased productivity
• 307,722 beneficiaries achieved a minimum 15% income growth
• A total net attributable income impact of £46 million was realized across the region

Applying the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) framework, Verbatim emphasized not just core transactions but the critical supporting functions of information and knowledge sharing—enabling farmers and micro-entrepreneurs to access better market signals, business practices, and innovation opportunities.

Additionally, Verbatim deployed Creating Public Value (CPV) principles: partnering with initiative leads, local government stakeholders, and beneficiaries to co-create content that reflected authentic experiences and amplified the credibility of private sector-driven development. This approach enhanced market inclusivity while reinforcing MADE’s strategic goals of positioning the Niger Delta as an emerging economic frontier.

Verbatim’s work was executed in close collaboration with:

• Smallholder farmers and micro-entrepreneurs, whose voices and outcomes were integral to crafting authentic narratives
• MADE initiative teams managing sector interventions
• Private sector partners embedding pro-poor innovations into value chains
• State and local government stakeholders supporting regulatory and systemic changes

The ultimate beneficiaries were the farmers, entrepreneurs, and rural households of the Niger Delta—gaining new opportunities for sustainable income growth and improved market participation.

Strategic Alignment with International Development and the SDGs

Verbatim’s strategic communications work was about reinforcing productive knowledge systems that could unlock long-term, sustainable economic growth. Contributions under MADE directly supported key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

• SDG 1: End poverty in all its forms
• SDG 8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment
• SDG 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries

By reinforcing the local knowledge economy and amplifying evidence of success, Verbatim strengthened MADE’s ability to attract further private sector engagement, ensuring that the impacts of the program could endure well beyond its initial funding cycle.

Knowledge as the Catalyst for Inclusive Growth

Through its work on the MADE project, Verbatim Virtual Solutions demonstrated how strategic market intelligence, communications, and productive knowledge building can be leveraged to drive inclusive, pro-poor economic development. By codifying and communicating evidence-based results, Verbatim helped position the Niger Delta as a region of growing opportunity—reinforcing pathways for future prosperity, greater resilience, and deeper integration into high value national markets.