FG Expands Cash Transfer Scheme to 15 Million Citizens

The Federal Government has extended its National Cash Transfer Programme to cover 15 million vulnerable Nigerians, with the Oyo State Government ramping up local efforts to ensure the poorest households benefit.

This was disclosed during a stakeholder meeting in Ibadan on Thursday, organised to raise awareness about the National Social Safety Nets Programme – Scale-Up.

Speaking at the event, the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Toyin Balogun, represented by Dr Mofoluwake Ibitoye, stressed the programme’s importance in tackling poverty.

Balogun explained that each beneficiary would receive ₦25,000 in three instalments, and only individuals listed in the National Social Register are eligible.

The disbursement is being managed by the National Cash Transfer Office in Abuja.

In a related address, the Special Adviser to the Governor on General Intervention and Donor Funds, Mrs Aderonke Adedayo, represented by Mrs Temitope Fagbola, revealed that over 150,000 households in Oyo State had already received payments in the past six months.

“Though the funds may appear small, they have real impact,” she noted, adding that payments were made directly into verified bank accounts linked to beneficiaries’ NINs and BVNs, to ensure transparency.

Akintunde Gbadamosi, the state programme manager, said the disbursement process is being streamlined to use debit cards and personal bank accounts for direct transfers from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Officials from the National Orientation Agency, NIMC, and Department of State Services welcomed the expansion, describing it as a timely lifeline amid rising living costs. They pledged continued collaboration to support identity verification, security, and public awareness.