No fewer than 9.2 million Nigerian households have benefited from the Federal Government’s Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer Programme (HOPE-CT), with approximately ₦688 billion disbursed over two years.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, made this disclosure on Monday during the HOPE-CT implementation update and press conference in Abuja.
The programme, anchored on the National Social Register, serves as a key social protection intervention designed to cushion the impact of recent economic reforms on vulnerable households. It is implemented in collaboration with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office, the National Cash Transfer Office, and the National Social Investment Programmes Agency.
According to the minister, eligible households receive a total of ₦75,000, paid in three tranches of ₦25,000 each, to help meet essential needs such as food, healthcare, and education.
“As of today, 9,178,837 beneficiary households across Nigeria have received at least the first tranche of ₦25,000,” Doro stated. “The second and third tranches are progressing steadily, with 7,203,579 beneficiaries having received the second tranche and 6,497,089 the third. Disbursement is continuing across all states, and every eligible household will receive their full entitlement.”
"The intervention ran from November 2023 to February 2026. All beneficiaries are drawn from the National Social Register and verified using either a National Identification Number (NIN) or Bank Verification Number (BVN) to promote transparency and accountability.
Of the beneficiaries reached so far, 5,391,225 (58.7%) are women and 3,787,612 (41.3%) are men. The minister highlighted the programme’s focus on empowering women, describing them as “mothers, caregivers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders who form the backbone of family resilience.”
Director-General of NIMC, Dr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, noted that over 13.2 million individual records were shared for verification, with more than 11.8 million successfully verified. She described identity verification as crucial for ensuring the programme remains targeted, efficient, and free from leakages.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris (represented at the event), said the initiative demonstrates that the government is actively working to improve the lives of citizens, particularly at the grassroots level.
Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Tanko Sununu, added that the programme helps stabilise vulnerable households, strengthens resilience, and advances financial inclusion through digital payment systems.
The Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office, Abdullahi Alhassan, revealed that the initiative is funded through an $800 million facility from the World Bank’s International Development Association. He also disclosed that the target number of beneficiaries has been reviewed upward from 10.4 million to 15 million vulnerable Nigerians.
The HOPE-CT is positioned as a shock-response mechanism to support low-income families amid macroeconomic challenges.
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