FG targets 7.6m households as new $1bn social protection scheme begins

The Federal Government has launched a $1 billion social protection programme targeting about 7.6 million vulnerable households across Nigeria.

The initiative, known as the Renewed Hope Social Protection Programme, was unveiled by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu as part of efforts to strengthen government interventions aimed at reducing poverty.

One of the key components, the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Social Protection Project (HOPE-SP), is designed to move vulnerable households beyond temporary financial assistance towards sustainable economic empowerment.

Eligible households under the programme are expected to receive a one-off digital shock-response transfer of ₦40,000.

However, beneficiaries must be registered on the National Social Register and validated with their National Identification Numbers (NIN).

The government is also working with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to facilitate NIN registration and improve the verification process.

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, said the programme would introduce a more structured approach to poverty reduction by tracking households and assessing their progress.

“We have a system where we want to deliberately track poverty,” Doro said.

The programme is expected to improve coordination between humanitarian interventions, social protection and poverty-reduction initiatives while helping beneficiaries move towards greater financial independence.