No fewer than 9.2 million Nigerians have benefited from the Federal Government’s Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer Programme, with approximately ₦688bn disbursed within two years.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, disclosed this on Monday at the HOPE-CT implementation update and press conference in Abuja.
The cash transfer scheme, anchored on the National Social Register, is one of the Federal Government’s key social protection interventions aimed at cushioning the effects of recent economic reforms on vulnerable households.
The programme is being implemented in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission, the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office, the National Cash Transfer Office, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
In his presentation, Doro said the HOPE-CT initiative was introduced as a shock-response mechanism to support low-income Nigerians amid ongoing macroeconomic adjustments, adding that beneficiaries receive ₦75,000 in three tranches.
He said, “Under this intervention, eligible households receive ₦75,000 distributed over three tranches, helping families meet essential needs such as food, healthcare, and ededucationif you ask me, N75,000 is indeed a lot of money to Nigerians, and there are many things they could do with it.
“As of today, 9,178,837 beneficiary households across Nigeria have received at least the first tranche of ₦25,000,demonstrating the scale and reach of this programme.
The second and third tranches are progressing steadily. 7,203,579 beneficiaries have received the second tranche, and 6,497,089 have received the third, with disbursement continuing to roll out across all states. The remaining beneficiaries within these tranches are actively being processed, and every eligible household will receive their full entitlement.”
On the duration it takes to reach the entire 9.2 million households, the minister explained that ‘the intervention spanned from November 2023 to February 2026.’
He added that all beneficiaries must be captured in the National Social Register and verified using either a National Identification Number or Bank Verification Number toensure transparency.
“Out of the 9.17 million beneficiaries reached so far, 5,391,225 are women — representing 58.7 per cent of all beneficiaries, while 3,787,612 are men, representing 41.3 per cent.
“By empowering women through the HoPE Cash Transfer Programme, we are supporting mothers, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who form the backbone of family resilience across Nigeria,” he stated.
In her remarks, the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the use of identity verificationhad strengthened transparency and accountability in the programme.
Coker-Odusote emphasised that identity, especially in Nigeria, goes beyond just being a number.
She said, ‘It is an access to opportunity, social protection, and full benefits of citizenship. This belief has guided our partnership with the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office to ensure that the HoPE-CT programme is not only impactful, but also transparent, targeted, and efficient.
“Today, I am pleased to report significant progress. As of the end of February, a total of 13,240,100 individual records have been securely shared with NIMC for verification. Out of this figure, 11,831,861 records have been successfully verified while 1,408,284 records did not pass verification.
“Now, let me emphasise — this is not a setback. It is a strength of the system. Every failed record has been thoroughly analysedand we have provided NASSCO with a clear diagnosis of the issues, alongside practical solution pathways. As we speak, an additional 3.1 million records are currently undergoing processing.”
Similarly, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was represented by the ministry’s Director of Protocols, Dr Suleiman Haruna, highlighted that the programme had provided relief to millions of Nigerians.
According to him, the HoPE-CT programme is about showing every Nigerian, especially those at the grassroots, that “their government sees, hears and is activelyworking to improve their lives.”
“Over the years, many Nigerians have fallen into economic vulnerability. But in the last three years, many have been saved through various programmes of the government.
“We will continue to support all government programmes in their effort to reach their intended audiences,” he stated.
On the scope of the intervention, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, said the programme was designed to stabilise vulnerable households and strengthen resilience.
He argued that through the integration of the National Social Register and digital payment systems, the programme continues to strengthen transparency, improve targeting, and deepen financial inclusion, while ensuring that assistance is delivered efficiently and with accountability.
Earlier, the Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office, Abdullahi Alhassan, said the initiative was fundedthrough an $800m facility from the International Development Association of the World Bank.
Alhassan also noted that the number of beneficiaries has currently been ‘reviewed upward from 10.4m to 15m vulnerable Nigerians.’
Source; Punch
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