FG Disburses ₦658.9bn to 10.46 Million Vulnerable Households, World Bank Urges Wider Coverage

The Federal Government has disbursed ₦658.9 billion in direct cash transfers to 10.46 million poor and vulnerable households as of September 2026, with the World Bank urging improvements to ensure the programme provides more effective and consistent support.

The recommendation was contained in the bank’s latest Nigeria Development Update, titled Beyond the Federal Purse: How Higher Revenues Shaped State Priorities, which examined economic conditions and government interventions aimed at cushioning households against financial hardship.

According to the report, the government deployed biometric and digital verification systems to identify beneficiaries and facilitate payments under its direct cash transfer programme.

The World Bank said social protection and effective public service delivery could help shield vulnerable households from economic pressures. However, it stressed that the effectiveness of such interventions depended on the number of beneficiaries reached, the adequacy of payments and the consistency of disbursements.

The bank acknowledged the scale of the reported payments but called for accelerated implementation and expanded coverage to strengthen the programme’s contribution to household welfare.

It also emphasised the need to improve the value and regularity of transfers so that beneficiaries could receive more meaningful relief from financial difficulties.

Beyond the immediate expansion of cash transfers, the World Bank urged the Federal Government and state governments to develop a sustainable funding framework for social protection.

It recommended dedicated budget allocations at both federal and state levels, alongside a gradual increase in government financing, to ensure that support could be maintained over the long term.

The bank said moving from emergency assistance to a regular and sustainable social protection system would require coordinated action between both levels of government and a shared national framework.

It noted that stronger budgetary commitments by states would help complement federal interventions, make payments more predictable and reduce dependence on temporary relief measures.

The proposed reforms are intended to improve the reach, continuity and effectiveness of social assistance, ensuring that poor and vulnerable Nigerians receive more reliable support.