The Federal Government said it has registered about 15 million vulnerable households in its Benefit Register for conditional cash transfers, as part of ongoing collaboration with the World Bank to cushion the impact of economic shocks on the poorest Nigerians.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard Doro, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television on Friday.
He clarified that while the broader National Social Register contains data on about 17.9 million vulnerable households, roughly 70 million individuals, not all are eligible for direct financial assistance.
“The Benefit Register is around 15 million vulnerable households,” Doro explained. “This money is actually meant as a shock response.”
The minister stressed that inclusion in the National Social Register does not automatically translate to eligibility for cash support.
According to him, beneficiaries for specific programmes, including conditional cash transfers, are selected separately based on clearly defined programme criteria and objectives.
“There is a difference between the National Social Register and the Benefit Register. When programmes are planned, you then target individuals based on the nature of the programme that you are delivering,” he said.
Doro described the registration process as community-led and thorough, aimed at identifying the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians.
“Communities guide us based on the questions and criteria we provide to identify who is poor amongst them,” he said.
“We then validate these by visiting homes, assessing living conditions, and verifying personal data to target the poorest of the poor.”
The minister said the government’s long-term goal is to ensure comprehensive national coverage in the social register to improve poverty reduction planning.
“Our desire is to ensure that every Nigerian is captured,” he added.
He reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to expanding the database while ensuring targeted support reaches citizens most affected by economic hardship and vulnerability.
