The Federal Government has announced that about 15 million vulnerable households have been captured in its Benefit Register for conditional cash transfers, as part of ongoing collaboration with the World Bank to cushion the impact of economic shocks on poor Nigerians.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television on Friday.
He clarified that although the broader National Social Register contains data on approximately 17.9 million vulnerable households, representing about 70 million individuals; not all those listed qualify for direct financial assistance.
“The Benefit Register is around 15 million vulnerable households. This money is actually meant as a shock response,” Doro explained.
The minister emphasised that inclusion in the National Social Register does not automatically guarantee eligibility for cash support. According to him, beneficiaries for specific programmes, including conditional cash transfers, are selected separately based on clearly defined programme objectives and criteria.
“There is a difference between the National Social Register and the Benefit Register. When programmes are planned, you then target individuals based on the nature of the programme that you are delivering,” he said.
Doro described the registration process as community-driven and rigorous, aimed at identifying the poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
“Communities guide us based on the questions and criteria we provide to identify who is poor amongst them. We then validate these by visiting homes, assessing living conditions, and verifying personal data to target the poorest of the poor,” he stated.
He added that the government’s long-term objective is to ensure comprehensive national coverage in the social register to strengthen poverty reduction planning.
“Our desire is to ensure that every Nigerian is captured,” he said, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to expanding the database while ensuring that targeted support reaches those most affected by economic hardship.
