No fewer than 9.2 million Nigerians have benefited from the Federal Government’s Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HOPE-CT) Programme, with about N688 billion disbursed over two years.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, disclosed this in Abuja during an update on the programme’s implementation.
The initiative, built on the National Social Register, is one of the government’s major social intervention efforts aimed at easing the impact of recent economic reforms on vulnerable households. It is being implemented in partnership with agencies including the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the National Cash Transfer Office, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency.
Doro explained that the programme was designed as a shock-response measure to support low-income Nigerians, with each beneficiary receiving N75,000 in three instalments.
According to him, over 9.1 million households have already received the first tranche of N25,000. About 7.2 million have received the second tranche, while roughly 6.5 million have received the third, with payments still ongoing nationwide.
He added that the programme, which ran from November 2023 to February 2026, requires all beneficiaries to be verified using either a National Identification Number (NIN) or Bank Verification Number (BVN) to ensure transparency.
Doro also revealed that women make up the majority of beneficiaries, accounting for 58.7 per cent, while men represent 41.3 per cent. He noted that empowering women through the scheme strengthens families and communities.
Speaking on the verification process, the Director-General of NIMC, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said identity checks have improved accountability in the programme.
She said over 13.2 million records were submitted for verification, with about 11.8 million successfully confirmed, while others are still being reviewed or corrected.
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Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said the programme has provided relief to millions of Nigerians, especially those at the grassroots, assuring continued government support for such interventions.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Yusuf Sununu, added that the programme is helping to stabilise vulnerable households while improving financial inclusion through digital payment systems.
Meanwhile, the Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office, Abdullahi Alhassan, said the initiative is backed by an $800 million facility from the World Bank’s International Development Association, with plans to expand the number of beneficiaries from 10.4 million to 15 million Nigerians.
