President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Task Force to drive grassroots development across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards, alongside a N17 billion intervention package for implementation.
According to a statement issued in Abuja by Ado Bako of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the initiative is designed to deepen community participation in development projects tailored to local needs.
The programme will be implemented through the Social Action Fund (SAF), which was introduced in September 2023, and a Community-Based Procurement Platform approved in January 2026 to enable local organisations to execute projects valued at up to N50 million per ward.
Bako explained that the President has approved a project timeline beginning March 1, with completion expected by December. A programme management unit will be domiciled within the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAP) coordination office of the ministry to oversee execution, monitoring, and accountability.
The Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation have also been directed to release N17 billion into a dedicated intervention account to support implementation, communication, and oversight activities.
The task force will be chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, and include key officials such as the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, and heads of regulatory and accountability institutions like the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Pate described the initiative as a shift toward decentralised development, stressing that it places communities at the centre of decision-making and implementation.
According to him, the approach allows each ward to identify its most pressing needs and deliver practical interventions that directly improve livelihoods and strengthen essential services.
He noted that the projects may cover community nutrition support, provision of health commodities such as micronutrients and therapeutic foods, as well as small-scale upgrades to schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems.
In a related development, the President also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases. The institution will serve as a national hub for training, research, and disease surveillance, aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s capacity for epidemic preparedness and response.
The federal government said the reforms align with the Renewed Hope Agenda, with a focus on improving grassroots welfare and enhancing national health security systems.
