In an effort to lessen the impact of economic shocks on Nigeria’s poorest citizens, the Federal Government says it had added roughly 15 million vulnerable households to its Benefit Register for conditional cash transfers.
Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, revealed this in a Friday interview with Arise Television.
He explained that although information on around 70 million people and 17.9 million vulnerable households may be found in the larger National Social Register, not all of them are qualified for direct financial aid.
“There are about 15 million vulnerable households on the Benefit Register,” Doro said. “In reality, this money is intended as a shock response.”
The minister emphasized that being included on the National Social Register does not guarantee that one will be eligible for financial assistance.
He asserts that recipients of particular programs—such as conditional cash transfers—are chosen independently in accordance with precisely specified program goals and criteria.
The National Social Register and the Benefit Register are not the same thing. “Once programs are planned, you target people according to the type of program you are delivering,” he said.
According to Doro, the registration procedure is comprehensive and community-led, with the goal of identifying Nigerians who are most vulnerable and impoverished.
“We are guided by communities using the criteria and questions we provide to determine who is impoverished among them,” he stated.
“To target the poorest of the poor, we then validate these by visiting homes, evaluating living conditions, and confirming personal data.”
In order to enhance planning for poverty reduction, the minister stated that the government’s long-term objective is to guarantee full nationwide coverage in the social register.
We want to make sure that all Nigerians are apprehended,” he continued.
He reiterated the administration’s dedication to growing the database while making sure that the people most impacted by vulnerability and financial difficulty receive targeted assistance.
