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Cabinet officials

Conditional Cash Transfer Programme: Progress and Challenges

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

The federal government's conditional cash transfer programme, initiated by President Bola Tinubu's administration, aims to provide economic relief to 15 million poor households through three instalments of N25,000 each. Despite initial challenges, the programme has progressed, with 8.5 million households receiving at least one tranche of N25,000. However, the World Bank had expressed concerns about the programme's effectiveness, citing that only 37 per cent of the targeted households had benefited from the scheme as of May this year. The programme's National Coordinator, Mrs. Funmi Olotu, attributes the delay in payments to the linking of disbursements to National Identity Numbers (NIN) to guarantee integrity and transparency.

Key Takeaways:

  • The federal government has disbursed N330 billion to 8.5 million poor households through the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO).
  • Of the targeted 15 million households, 8.5 million have received at least one tranche of N25,000, while 7 million remain to be paid before the end of the year.
  • The cash transfer intervention is part of President Tinubu's strategy to cushion the effects of economic reforms on vulnerable Nigerians.
  • The programme aims to capture 19.7 million poor and vulnerable households, representing over 70 million individuals, in the National Social Register.
  • The government plans to incorporate the programme in annual appropriations to make it sustainable.
  • The payments are staggered due to the linking of disbursements to National Identity Numbers (NIN) for integrity and transparency.
  • The National Social Register, developed in collaboration with the World Bank, is built on over 40 socioeconomic variables and is devoid of political interference.

Statistics:

  • 8.5 million households have received at least one tranche of N25,000, while 7 million more are expected to be paid before the end of the year.
  • A total of 2.2 million new households were added to the programme since the last reported cycle in June 2025.
  • The programme aims to capture 19.7 million poor and vulnerable households, representing over 70 million individuals.
  • Beneficiaries are verified through their National Identity Number (NIN), and payments are made digitally and directly through bank accounts or mobile wallets.

Sources:

  • [Finance Minister, Mr. Wale Edun]
  • [National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO)]
  • [World Bank]

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