The Federal Government has announced that 2.2 million poor households will soon benefit from its Conditional Cash Transfer programme before the end of August.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Sununu, made the disclosure on Monday, August 18, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
Sununu explained that the government had already captured these households in the national social register and would begin disbursements in the coming days.
He stressed that the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains committed to reducing poverty through direct interventions.
“In the next few days, before the end of August, we will reach out to 2.2 million households,” Sununu stated.
He added that the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) had profiled the most vulnerable Nigerians to ensure transparency in the process.
The minister emphasized that the cash transfer programme targets families at the lowest level of the social ladder.
According to him, this system helps the government channel resources to those who truly need them the most.
While explaining the progress of the Conditional Cash Transfer programme, Sununu revealed that the government had already disbursed ₦419 billion to over five million Nigerians.
He noted that 71 percent of the distribution went to households in the northern region, while 21 percent went to those in the southern region.
This spread, he said, reflected the proportion of vulnerable households across the country.
“So far, the programme has achieved significant results. Many poor Nigerians have received support, and this has provided immediate relief to families battling poverty,” Sununu said.
Furthermore, he stressed that the cash transfer initiative remains only one part of the government’s wider poverty reduction plan.
He pointed out that the ministry is also working on other humanitarian programmes designed to empower vulnerable Nigerians and promote inclusive growth.
The minister assured Nigerians that the government would continue to strengthen monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
This, he argued, will ensure that funds reach the targeted beneficiaries directly without diversion or manipulation.
As the disbursement deadline approaches, the announcement has drawn mixed reactions.
While some Nigerians welcomed the move, others called for more transparency and accountability in the management of the programme.
Civil society organizations like SERAP had earlier demanded that the Federal Government release detailed information about the ₦729 billion planned for similar interventions.
Despite criticisms, Sununu maintained that the government would not relent in its efforts to reduce poverty.
He concluded by stating that only consistent interventions, combined with transparency, would create the kind of impact Nigerians expect.