ActionAid Nigeria has called on the Federal Government to provide full transparency over its proposed N50,000 cash assistance for poor and vulnerable Nigerians, demanding disclosure of the programme’s funding source, beneficiary selection criteria and disbursement arrangements.
The organisation also expressed concern over conflicting descriptions of the intervention under the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI), noting that while the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, described it as a monthly support scheme, the programme’s official website presents it as a one-off grant.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, ActionAid Nigeria’s Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, said Nigerians deserved clear and verifiable information about the financial commitments and implementation mechanisms of the intervention.
Mamedu urged the government to clarify whether the programme would be funded through existing budgetary allocations, supplementary appropriations, savings from economic reforms, development financing or other sources.
He also called for the disclosure of the total amount approved, funds released and administrative costs associated with the intervention.
According to him, although direct cash assistance could provide immediate relief to vulnerable households, such interventions must be transparent, equitable and sustainable.
ActionAid warned that the absence of a clearly defined programme budget, beneficiary targets and implementation timeline raised questions about the scale and sustainability of the initiative.
The organisation estimated that providing N50,000 monthly to one million households would cost N50 billion, while extending the support to five million households would require N250 billion every month.
It stressed that such financial commitments required transparent budgeting, legislative oversight and regular public reporting.
The organisation also questioned the proposed use of the National Social Register and verified national identity records to determine beneficiaries.
It noted that the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) had reported more than 20 million poor and vulnerable households on the register but said concerns remained over how recently the database was updated and how newly impoverished households would be captured.
ActionAid urged the government to prioritise women-headed households, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, older citizens and vulnerable rural communities.
It further cautioned against making access to social protection exclusively dependent on national identification documents, mobile phones or bank accounts, calling for alternative arrangements that would enable eligible Nigerians excluded from the existing register to seek assessment and redress.
Mamedu maintained that social protection should be treated as a responsibility of government rather than a political favour or act of charity.
With the 2027 general elections approaching, he urged the government to ensure that the intervention was driven strictly by vulnerability and need rather than political considerations.
ActionAid also demanded transparency in the selection of digital payment providers, disclosure of transaction and administrative charges, and independent verification of payments to beneficiaries.
It called for periodic publication of reports detailing the number of households paid, total funds disbursed, geographical distribution of beneficiaries, failed transactions and complaints resolved, while ensuring the protection of beneficiaries’ personal information.
The organisation outlined six major demands, including the publication of the programme’s funding source, approved budget and implementation timeline; clarification of whether the N50,000 support was a one-off grant or monthly allowance; and disclosure of eligibility requirements and beneficiary targets across states and local government areas.
Other demands include accessible grievance and inclusion mechanisms, third-party monitoring by credible civil society organisations, independent verification of payments and safeguards against fund diversion and political interference.
It also encouraged citizens to monitor the programme and report suspected irregularities, exclusion and diversion of funds to relevant oversight institutions and civil society organisations.
Beyond the immediate cash intervention, ActionAid called for stronger pro-poor economic and social policies to address the structural causes of poverty.
It urged the government to invest in decent employment, affordable healthcare, quality education, food security, sustainable livelihoods and essential public services to strengthen household resilience.
The organisation maintained that the success of the intervention should be measured not by the amount announced but by the number of vulnerable Nigerians who actually receive the support, the fairness of the selection process and the accountability with which public resources are managed.
