ActionAid asks FG to explain funding, selection for N50,000 cash support

ActionAid Nigeria has asked the federal government to open up on how it will pay for and run the proposed N50,000 cash support for poor and vulnerable Nigerians. The group said Nigerians deserve to know where the money is coming from, who will receive it and how it will reach them.

The call comes after the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announced the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) on October 30, 2026, as food, transport and housing costs keep rising.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, ActionAid's country director, Andrew Mamedu, said the government should explain whether the scheme is funded from the existing budget, a supplementary budget, savings from economic reforms, development financing or another source. He also asked for the total amount committed, how much has been released and the administrative costs.

"Direct cash assistance can provide immediate relief, but such interventions must be transparent, equitable and sustainable," Mamedu said.

Monthly or one-off?

ActionAid flagged conflicting information about the payment. It said the minister described the support as monthly, while the programme's official website calls it a one-off grant. The group wants the government to say clearly which it is, and how long beneficiaries would be paid.

It also put the cost in plain figures. Paying N50,000 monthly to one million households would take N50 billion every month. Extending it to five million households would cost N250 billion monthly, the group said, arguing that this scale needs transparent budgeting, legislative oversight and regular public reporting.

On who gets the money, ActionAid said recipients would reportedly be picked through the National Social Register and verified national identity records. It noted that the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) says the register holds more than 20 million poor and vulnerable households. But the group asked when the register was last updated and how families who have recently fallen into poverty would be captured.

It urged the government to prioritise women-headed households, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, older persons and vulnerable rural communities. It also warned against making access depend only on national ID, a phone or a bank account, and called for a clear way for people left off the register to complain and be assessed.

Warning against politics

With the 2027 general elections approaching, ActionAid cautioned against turning the scheme into a political tool.

"Social protection is not a political favour or an act of charity; it is a responsibility of government to its citizens," Mamedu said.

The group listed six demands, including publishing the funding source, approved budget and timeline; clarifying whether the N50,000 is a one-off or monthly; and disclosing eligibility criteria and targets by state and local government area. It also wants open selection of digital payment providers, independent checks on payments, monitoring by credible civil society groups and safeguards against diversion of funds.

Beyond the cash, ActionAid called for stronger policies on jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, food security and public services to tackle the root causes of poverty.

What happens next

The government has not yet responded to the demands. ActionAid urged Nigerians to monitor the scheme and report irregularities, exclusion or diversion to oversight institutions and civil society organisations.