FG Targets 7.2m Vulnerable Households with $1bn Social Protection Programme

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government will next Tuesday unveil a $1 billion social protection programme targeting 7.2 million of the country’s most vulnerable households through emergency cash transfers and other interventions aimed at helping them withstand economic shocks and transition towards self-reliance.

The programme will be unveiled by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. It is part of the efforts of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to strengthen social protection and ensure that vulnerable Nigerians are protected while being supported towards resilience and economic self-reliance.

Mr Abimbola Fasanu, the Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr Bernard Doro, said in a statement that the unveiling goes beyond the launch of a single programme, as it introduces a more coordinated approach to humanitarian response, social protection and poverty reduction, with the household placed at the centre of intervention and measurement.

A major component of the event will be the launch of the Federal Government Emergency Shock-Responsive Cash Transfer Programme, targeting 7.2 million of the most vulnerable households nationwide.

The event will also feature the launch of the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), Nigeria’s integrated framework for humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction and economic inclusion; the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Ministerial Blueprint; and Humanity First Magazine.

Mr Doro said OHOPRS addresses a longstanding challenge in which different government institutions, development partners and other organisations may intervene without sufficient visibility of who has already received support, what assistance was provided and whether the intervention improved the household’s condition.

“Nigeria cannot continue with a system where one vulnerable household receives interventions from several institutions while another equally vulnerable household remains unseen. We must know who has been reached, what support they received, whether it worked and what they need next,” the Minister said.

Under the new approach, a household receiving emergency assistance following a flood, conflict, economic shock or other crisis should not simply disappear from Government’s radar once the immediate emergency has passed. Where necessary, that household can be connected to appropriate social protection, livelihood support, skills development and economic opportunities, with progress towards resilience and self-reliance tracked over time.

“Our objective is not to keep Nigerians permanently dependent on assistance. We are moving from palliatives to pathways, from fragmentation to coordination, and from vulnerability to prosperity,” he stated.

He said the reform reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that economic reforms ultimately translate into improved welfare and greater opportunities for Nigerian households.

The Minister added that the First Lady’s role in unveiling the programme provides an important connection with her commitment to improving the welfare and economic opportunities of women, young people, families and vulnerable Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

“The true measure of success is not simply how many Nigerians receive assistance, but how many become stronger, more resilient and ultimately able to sustain themselves and their families,” the spokesperson said.