The Federal Government has initiated a revalidation exercise for the National Social Register as part of its ongoing efforts to enhance the effectiveness of the conditional cash transfer programme aimed at mitigating the impact of economic reforms.
At a press briefing held at the headquarters of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Abuja, the Director-General of NIMC, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed that 2.3 million households have been successfully verified and are now cleared for payment under the revamped scheme.
The revalidation effort comes at a time when the World Bank raised concerns regarding the slow pace of implementation of the cash transfer programme.
The scheme, which was launched in 2023 following the removal of the petrol subsidy and unification of the foreign exchange market, has faced challenges in reaching its target of 15 million households.
In its “Nigeria Development Update” report titled Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth, the World Bank stated that only 37% of the targeted households—approximately 5.6 million—had received payments, two years after the programme’s initiation.
The institution, which approved an $800 million loan for the project, revealed that as of April 30, 2025, $530 million had been disbursed.
The World Bank’s report pointed out that the expansion of the programme hinges on the biometrically verified identity of at least one adult per household, a critical step for ensuring that the right recipients benefit from the funds. The bank urged the government to expedite support for the most economically vulnerable households.
Coker-Odusote, who is also part of the inter-agency task force overseeing the verification process, emphasised the importance of ensuring that only eligible Nigerians benefit from the cash transfer initiative.
She explained that the exercise was being carried out under the National Social Safety Nets Project to safeguard the integrity of the programme.
“We are conducting the revalidation under the National Social Safety Net to ensure that only eligible persons benefit from this intervention. As of Tuesday, we have revalidated 2.3 million individuals and are preparing to begin the necessary payments,” she said.
The NIMC boss stressed the importance of accurate identity verification in delivering targeted interventions, adding that the process is rigorous to prevent misallocation of funds.
“We don’t want to pay people who are no longer alive. It’s critical that the right thing is done, and identity verification is central to this,” she said.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, also weighed in on the slow implementation of the programme.
In an interview with Arise TV, Fasua attributed the delay to the need for biometric validation, which he described as an essential step to ensure transparency and minimise the risk of fraud.
“While the World Bank’s funding is crucial and carefully disbursed, the biometric confirmation process has created some bottlenecks. However, it is better to proceed with caution to avoid any errors. Scaling up the process will improve in due time,” Fasua said.
He urged Nigerians to remain patient, stressing that the integrity of the process is far more important than speed, especially when dealing with public funds meant for vulnerable citizens.
