The Federal Government has launched a revalidation exercise for the National Social Register as part of its efforts to bolster the ongoing conditional cash transfer programme, aimed at alleviating the impact of recent economic reforms.
To date, a total of 2.3 million households have been confirmed and cleared for payments under the renewed scheme. This development was disclosed by Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission, during a recent press briefing at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
The revalidation exercise comes in response to concerns raised by the World Bank regarding the slow implementation of the cash transfer programme, which was initiated in 2023 following the removal of petrol subsidies and the unification of the foreign exchange market.
In its latest Nigeria Development Update report titled “Building Momentum for Inclusive Growth,” the World Bank highlighted that only 37 percent of the targeted 15 million households, approximately 5.6 million, had received payments two years after the programme’s launch. The World Bank approved an $800 million loan for this initiative, of which $530 million had been disbursed by April 30, 2025.
The World Bank stated, “Only 5.6 million households—around 37 percent—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.”
Coker-Odusote, a member of the inter-agency task force overseeing the identity verification process for the programme, emphasized that the revalidation is being conducted under the National Social Safety Nets project to ensure that only eligible Nigerians benefit from the government’s palliative initiative.
“The Federal Government through cash transfer scheme 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. Noting the cash transfer scheme initiative.
“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.”
Coker-Odusote underscored the significance of accurate identity verification in delivering targeted interventions, stating that the exercise is rigorous to prevent the misallocation of funds.
“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 emphasize 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.
In a related statement, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, discussed the slow progress of the programme during an interview with Arise TV, attributing it to the necessity of biometric validation—a critical step for ensuring transparency and preventing 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 percent 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 stated.
He urged patience, emphasizing that the integrity of the process is more crucial than speed, especially when dealing with public funds intended for vulnerable citizens.