The Federal Government has announced that more than nine million Nigerians have benefited from the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE-CT) Programme, a flagship social protection initiative designed to cushion the effects of rising living costs on vulnerable households.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Benard Doro, disclosed this on Monday during a ministerial briefing in Abuja, stating that the programme has recorded significant progress since its launch in December 2023.
According to the minister, 9,178,837 beneficiaries have received the first tranche of the intervention, while 7,203,579 have been paid the second tranche and 6,497,089 have accessed the third tranche.
Doro explained that each eligible household receives a total of ₦75,000 in three instalments to support basic needs such as food, healthcare, and education. He noted that the growing figures reflect the programme’s expanding reach and its impact in alleviating economic hardship.
He further described the initiative, implemented under the National Social Safety Nets Project–Scale Up, as a transition from short-term humanitarian responses to a more structured and transparent social protection system.
“We are no longer responding to poverty episodically. We are building systems to end it sustainably,” the minister said.
The government, he added, selects beneficiaries from the National Social Register, with identities verified by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) using the National Identification Number (NIN) and Bank Verification Number (BVN) to enhance transparency and eliminate duplication.
Highlighting the programme’s inclusiveness, Doro revealed that women constitute 58.7 per cent of beneficiaries, while men account for 41.3 per cent.
He also cautioned Nigerians against paying any fees to access the scheme, stressing that the process is entirely free. “Anyone demanding payment is engaging in criminal activity,” he warned.
To strengthen accountability, the government has established a multi-layered grievance redress mechanism, including a toll-free line for complaints and enquiries.
In her remarks, Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the integration of digital identity has significantly improved the programme’s transparency and efficiency.
She disclosed that over 13.2 million beneficiary records were submitted for verification, with approximately 11.8 million successfully authenticated, while an additional 3.1 million records are currently undergoing verification.
“Through the NIN-based verification system, we are eliminating duplication, reducing leakages, and strengthening public trust in government interventions,” she said.
Earlier, the National Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office, Abdullahi Alhassan Imam, noted that the initiative is designed to provide immediate relief while creating pathways for long-term economic stability.
He added that the programme is backed by an $800 million facility from the World Bank International Development Association and initially targeted 10.4 million households, but has since been expanded to 15 million households nationwide.
The HoPE-CT Programme is being implemented across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory as part of the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda aimed at reducing poverty and promoting inclusive economic growth.
