Nigerian Government Disclose Plan to Disburse N75,000 Cash Transfer Scheme for 70 Million Citizens Within The Year*

 *Nigerian Government Disclose Plan to Disburse N75,000 Cash Transfer Scheme for 70 Million Citizens Within The Year*

In a bold move to combat extreme poverty, the Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a sweeping initiative to provide financial support to millions of its most vulnerable citizens. Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, revealed details of the ambitious plan during a recent television interview.

The program aims to distribute N75,000 in cash transfers to an estimated 70 million Nigerians categorized as the "poorest of the poor" by 2025. This massive undertaking will target approximately 15 million households across all 36 states of the federation, with each household expected to have an average of 4 to 5 members.

*Implementation and Timeline*

The ministry has set an aggressive timeline for the program's rollout:

- By the end of January 2025, the initiative is expected to be operational nationwide.

- The registration process will utilize the National Identity Number (NIN) system, with a goal of capturing data for up to 18.1 million Nigerian households.

Prof.Yilwatda emphasized the importance of digital infrastructure in executing this program efficiently and transparently. The ministry is collaborating with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to increase NIN registrations, particularly among low-income populations.

*Challenges and Preparations*

Currently, only 1.4 million individuals classified as the "poorest of the poor" have registered NIN numbers. To address this gap, the ministry is:

- Deploying additional resources and conducting training programs.

- Working with NIMC to introduce more registration devices, supported by a World Bank program.

Training sessions are already underway in several states, including Rivers, Kwara, Abuja, and Nasarawa, with plans to expand to all 36 states rapidly.

*Recent Developments*

This initiative comes in the wake of recent controversies surrounding social investment programs in Nigeria:

- On January 12, 2024, President Bola Tinubu suspended all programs under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation due to allegations of misappropriation.

- Earlier, on January 8, 2024, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu, was suspended over allegations of funds mismanagement within NSIPA.

As the government works to rebuild trust and efficiency in its social welfare programs, this new cash transfer scheme represents a significant step towards creating a more inclusive social safety net for Nigeria's most vulnerable citizens.