The Federal Government has commenced a revalidation exercise of the National Social Register as part of efforts to strengthen the ongoing conditional cash transfer programme aimed at cushioning the impact of economic reforms.
So far, a total of 2.3 million households have been confirmed and cleared for payment under the renewed scheme.
The Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, disclosed this at a recent press briefing held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The revalidation exercise comes amid concerns raised by the World Bank over the slow implementation of the cash transfer programme, which was launched in 2023, following the removal of petrol subsidy and unification of the foreign exchange market.
In its latest Nigeria Development Update report titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth”, the global financial institution noted that only 37 per cent of the intended 15 million households, approximately 5.6 million had received payments two years after the programme was launched.
The World Bank had approved a $800m loan for the initiative, out of which $530m had been disbursed as of April 30, 2025.
The World Bank said, “Only 5.6 million households—around 37 per cent—have received at least one tranche of direct transfers. Further expansion of the programme remains dependent on biometrically verifying at least one adult member of the household with a foundational digital identity. Also, efforts to urgently provide support to the poorest and most economically at-risk households should be redoubled and expanded,” the bank noted.
However, Coker-Odusote, who is a member of the inter-agency task force overseeing the identity verification process for the programme, stated that the revalidation was being carried out under the National Social Safety Nets project to ensure that only eligible Nigerians benefit from the government’s palliative initiative.
“The Federal Government is currently conducting a revalidation exercise on the national social register under the National Social Safety Net, so that they are able to carry out the payment,” she said.
“As of Tuesday, we have been able to revalidate 2.3 million persons and will soon be able to start making the necessary payments. Our job is to ensure the number of people validated, and we are doing that in conjunction with other agencies to make sure that the money goes to the right people.”
She stressed the importance of accurate identity verification in delivering targeted interventions, noting that the exercise is rigorous to avoid misallocation of funds.
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“We don’t want to pay people who no longer exist in this world. So, the right thing must be done, and I want to emphasise that.
“This is the reason for identity, ensuring there is a verifiable source of truth and identity credentials that you can use to validate the identity of someone, and that person can also use it to authenticate who he or she says, they are in real time,” she added.
Also commenting on the issue, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, in an interview with Arise TV, attributed the slow progress of the programme to the need for biometric validation, a step he described as necessary to ensure transparency and prevent fraud.
“If you know how the World Bank disburses its funds, they are very careful, and indeed, some persons would even argue that it creates some sort of bottlenecks.
“The reason why only 37 per cent of households have been reached is because of the need to have biometric confirmation. The truth is, the finance ministry has records of disbursements and the indigent beneficiaries. The only issue is scaling it up, but it is better to be careful than sorry. Going forward, the process will be tidied up even better,” Fasua said.
Fasua urged patience, stating that the integrity of the process was more important than speed, particularly when dealing with public funds meant for vulnerable citizens.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
