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

ActionAid Nigeria don ask di federal government to open up on how e go pay for and run di proposed N50,000 cash support for poor and vulnerable Nigerians. Di group say Nigerians suppose know where di money dey come from, who go receive am and how e go reach dem.

Di call come after di Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, announce di National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) on October 30, 2026, as food, transport and housing costs dey rise.

For one statement wey dem issue for Abuja on Sunday, ActionAid's country director, Andrew Mamedu, talk say government suppose explain whether dem dey fund di scheme from di existing budget, supplementary budget, savings from economic reforms, development financing or another source. E also ask for di total amount wey dem don commit, how much dem don release and di administrative costs.

"Direct cash support fit give immediate relief, but such interventions must dey transparent, fair and sustainable," Mamedu talk.

Monthly or one-off?

ActionAid point out say information about di payment dey conflict. E talk say di minister describe di support as monthly, while di programme's official website call am one-off grant. Di group want make government talk clearly which one e be, and how long beneficiaries go dey receive am.

E also put di cost for plain figures. If dem pay N50,000 monthly to one million households, e go take N50 billion every month. If dem extend am to five million households, e go cost N250 billion monthly, di group talk, dey argue say dis scale need transparent budgeting, legislative oversight and regular public reporting.

On who go get di money, ActionAid talk say dem go reportedly pick recipients through di National Social Register and verified national identity records. E note say di National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) talk say di register get more than 20 million poor and vulnerable households. But di group ask when dem last update di register and how families wey just fall into poverty go dey captured.

E urge government to prioritise women-headed households, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, older persons and vulnerable rural communities. E also warn against making access depend only on national ID, phone or bank account, and call for clear way for people wey no dey register to complain and be assessed.

Warning against politics

As 2027 general elections dey approach, ActionAid caution against turning di scheme into political tool.

"Social protection no be political favour or act of charity; na responsibility of government to im citizens," Mamedu talk.

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

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

What happens next

Government never respond to di demands. ActionAid urge Nigerians to monitor di scheme and report irregularities, exclusion or diversion to oversight institutions and civil society organisations.