THE Federal Government has announced that over 5.5 million vulnerable households across the country are currently benefiting from its Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, as part of ongoing efforts to cushion hardship and tackle poverty.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu, disclosed this on Thursday in Abuja during the official launch of the ECOWAS Social Protection Framework and Operational Plan.
Represented by the ministry’s Director of Social Development, Valentine Ezulu, the minister revealed that the government is preparing to enroll an additional 600,000 households before the end of 2025.
“More than 5.5 million households are currently benefiting, with plans to reach an additional 600,000 households nationwide before the end of the year. These systems will ensure that no Nigerian is left behind even in the most difficult times,” Sununu stated.
Sununu noted that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and is central to building an inclusive and sustainable social protection system.
He said the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) is spearheading several flagship initiatives alongside the CCT, including:
Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) – providing microloans to traders, artisans, and farmers.
N-Power – empowering young Nigerians with job placements and digital training.
National Homegrown School Feeding Programme – supplying nutritious meals to school children.
Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (SSNCO) – ensuring coherence and efficiency in welfare delivery.
Sununu further revealed that the government had digitised the National Social Register, which now contains data on over 19.7 million households, enhancing transparency and efficiency in targeting support to those who need it most.
Beyond direct cash transfers, he said the government is supporting micro and small enterprises, resettling internally displaced persons (IDPs), and rolling out training initiatives to equip young people with market-ready skills.
At the event, ECOWAS Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs, Professor Fatou Sow Sarr, described the launch of the social protection framework as a milestone for inclusive growth in West Africa.
International partners, including the International Labour Organisation (ILO), also pledged support for Nigeria’s social protection reforms.
Delivering a goodwill message, Dr. Vanessa Phala, ILO Country Director for Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, emphasised that social protection was both a human right and an economic necessity.
“Globally, social protection coverage stands at 52 percent, yet sub-Saharan Africa lags behind with just 15.4 percent of the population accessing at least one form of benefit,” Phala said.
She urged West African governments to scale up investments, ensure portability of benefits for migrant workers, and engage with social partners to accelerate progress.
The Federal Government insists its focus remains clear: to deliver inclusive economic growth, protect the most vulnerable, and ensure that social protection systems remain transparent and efficient through data-driven approaches.