The Federal Government is set to reach 15 million households and 75 million Nigerians as part of its expanded Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) scheme, announced by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, Nentawe Yilwatda.
In a recent interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Yilwatda explained that each qualifying household will receive ₦25,000 three times a year, as part of the government’s initiative to alleviate the economic hardships faced by vulnerable Nigerians.
“This is a direct response to the challenges facing people at the bottom level of the social pyramid,” said Yilwatda, referencing President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to provide targeted support for the most vulnerable in society.
He emphasized that the program would primarily benefit households, with each household estimated to have about five individuals.
Yilwatda shared that the government has already reached 5 million people under the scheme but noted the challenge of implementing the program effectively.
He explained that under the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new policy, beneficiaries must have digital identities to ensure transparency and traceability of the funds being distributed.
So far, approximately 1.4 million beneficiaries have registered with digital identities.
Additionally, the minister highlighted that women are prioritized as household leaders for the program, as they are often the primary caregivers in families.
This new phase of the Conditional Cash Transfer program follows a suspension in January due to alleged corruption in the previous administration of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP).
However, the government resumed the initiative in February, expanding its scope to include an additional 12 million households.
The scheme aims to provide vital financial support to those most affected by Nigeria’s economic difficulties, helping to cushion the impact of inflation and poverty.