The Federal Government has registered approximately 15 million vulnerable households in its Benefit Register for conditional cash transfers, as part of ongoing efforts with the World Bank to cushion the impact of economic shocks on the poorest Nigerians.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, disclosed this during an interview on Arise Television on Friday.
He clarified that while the broader National Social Register currently holds data on about 17.9 million vulnerable households—translating to roughly 70 million individuals—not all are eligible for direct cash support. “The Benefit Register is around 15 million vulnerable households,” Doro explained. “This money is actually meant as a shock response.”
The minister emphasized that inclusion in the National Social Register does not automatically qualify households for financial assistance. Beneficiaries for specific programmes, including the conditional cash transfers, are selected separately based on programme criteria and objectives.
Doro described the registration process as community-driven and rigorous. “Communities guide us based on the questions and criteria we provide to identify who is poor amongst them,” he said. “We then validate these by visiting homes, assessing living conditions, and verifying personal data to target the poorest of the poor.”
He stressed the distinction between the two registers: “There is a difference between the National Social Register and the Benefit Register. When programmes are planned, you then target individuals based on the nature of the programme that you are delivering.”
The government’s goal, according to the minister, is to eventually capture every Nigerian in the National Social Register to enable more precise and effective poverty reduction interventions. “Our desire is to ensure that every Nigerian is captured,” he added.
Doro reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to expanding the register while ensuring that targeted support reaches those most affected by economic hardship and vulnerability.
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