The Federal Government has announced that 5.5 million households across the country are currently receiving assistance through its various cash transfer initiatives.
Dr Bernard Doro, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, made this disclosure during the first meeting of the Act Naija Project National Steering Committee held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Speaking through his representative, Abimbola Fasanu, Dr Doro explained that the ministry is building stronger frameworks to tackle poverty, vulnerability and humanitarian emergencies throughout Nigeria. The government’s approach includes several programmes: Conditional Cash Transfer, Grant for Vulnerable Groups, N-POWER, GEEP, Homegrown School Feeding and National Social Safety-Net Coordination.
The minister revealed that the National Social Register now contains over 19.78 million verified households. Cash transfers and micro-credit facilities have reached more than 5 million Nigerians, with particular focus on women and young people in all 774 local government areas.
The ministry is collaborating with various partners to revise the National Social Protection Policy, ensuring it addresses current economic challenges and supports the government’s key objectives.
Dr Doro described the Act Naija project as consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, emphasizing its focus on supporting vulnerable families through transparent and accountable mechanisms. He highlighted the steering committee’s important role in coordinating efforts among different stakeholders and called on members to discharge their duties with integrity.
Rev. David Ugolor, Executive Director of the Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice, described the committee’s launch as an important milestone for Nigeria’s social protection infrastructure. He emphasized the ultimate aim of creating a comprehensive safety-net system that provides essential social support to all Nigerians without exclusion.
