Tinubu Launches $3.05bn World Bank-Backed Programmes To Fight Poverty

President Bola Tinubu on Thursday launched five World Bank-backed programmes worth $3.05 billion aimed at accelerating poverty reduction, strengthening human capital development, improving livelihoods and building resilient communities across Nigeria.

The programmes comprise the Nigeria Community Action for Resilience and Economic Stimulus Additional Financing (NG-CARES), the Solutions for Internally Displaced and Host Communities (SOLID) programme, and the three Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity (HOPE) programmes—HOPE-GOV, HOPE-PHC and HOPE-EDU.

The President’s speech was delivered by the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, at the unveiling ceremony attended by governors, deputy governors, ministers, permanent secretaries, special advisers, development partners, captains of industry, business leaders and other stakeholders at the Presidential Villa, Abuja .

Tinubu described the initiatives as “promises kept” under the Renewed Hope Agenda, saying they reflected his administration’s commitment to reforming the economy, protecting vulnerable Nigerians and investing in the country’s greatest asset,its people.

“These are not just programmes; they are promises kept. On our Renewed Hope Agenda, we came into office pledging to reform our economy, secure the nation and invest in our people. Today, we act on that pledge, protecting the vulnerable, empowering communities and building the human capital that will carry Nigeria forward,” he said.

The President said the programmes were coming at a time when the country’s economic reforms were beginning to yield positive results, stressing that the gains of the reforms must be felt by ordinary Nigerians.

“Positive results are emerging from our reforms. Robust growth is returning, confidence is rising, but that progress must be felt in every household, not just in national statistics. Real prosperity means no Nigerian is left behind on our journey to a one trillion US dollar economy by 2030,” he said.

According to him, the Renewed Hope Development Plan 2026-2030 serves as the roadmap for economic diversification, human capital development and stronger states, while the NG-CARES, SOLID and HOPE programmes will translate macroeconomic stability into improved livelihoods in every ward and for every family.

Tinubu said the country’s economic recovery was already evident in key indicators.

“The numbers tell a story of recovery and progress. Real GDP grew by 11.2 per cent and nearly 10 per cent per capita income growth in U.S. dollar terms last year and we are on track for a repeat this year, making Nigeria not only one of the fastest-growing economies in the world, but also one of the fastest rates of people being lifted out of poverty.

“Our foreign reserves have surpassed 50 billion U.S. dollars. Inflation has fallen sharply from its 2024 peak. These are not abstract figures. They are the foundation for the next phase of our national development, making sure that this recovery reaches every Nigerian.”

He added that through expanded cash transfers, the administration had already reached 15 million vulnerable households, lifting an estimated 7.5 million people out of poverty.

The President said the newly launched programmes would build on that momentum.

He explained that the NG-CARES Additional Financing programme is a US$1.25 billion World Bank-supported initiative focused particularly on supporting smallholder farmers and small businesses.

He said the US$300 million SOLID programme is a World Bank-financed initiative designed to bridge humanitarian relief and long-term development through investments in infrastructure, livelihoods and essential services for internally displaced persons and the communities hosting them.

“This is how we rebuild not just homes but hope,” he stated.

Tinubu described the US$1.5 billion HOPE programme as the administration’s flagship investment in Nigeria’s greatest asset—its people.

According to him, through HOPE-GOV, HOPE-PHC and HOPE-EDU, the government will strengthen primary healthcare, improve foundational learning in public schools, support teachers and build more transparent and effective governance at the ward level.

“It is really one strategy working together. These five programmes are not separate efforts; they are one coordinated national strategy for poverty reduction, human capital development and community resilience. Livelihoods, healthcare, education, social protection and support for displaced communities reinforce one another where it matters most, and that is at the grassroots,” he said.

Tinubu said the programmes were anchored on a ward-centric approach that aligns the federal, state and local governments around a common objective of improving service delivery and expanding opportunities for Nigerians.

“Through our ward-centric approach, we are aligning federal, state and local governments around a single goal, which is making every ward a place of real service delivery, real opportunity and real improvement in people’s lives.”

The President commended the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, the Minister of Education and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare for their leadership in bringing the programmes to fruition.

He also urged state governments, the National Economic Council, development institutions and implementing agencies to ensure the successful implementation of the initiatives.

“I ask every federal, state and local government partner, every development institution and every implementing agency to rise to this moment along with us.

“We are building a Nigeria where extreme poverty is banished, where every child has access to quality education and healthcare, and where every community can withstand adversity and recover faster and stronger.

“That is our vision. That is our promise. Today, we launch that future for millions of Nigerians in every ward, in every state.”

He thereafter formally launched the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme, the HOPE-GOV, HOPE-PHC and HOPE-EDU programmes, and the SOLID programme.

Speaking at the event, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, who was represented by Senator Mohammed Musa, described the programmes as more than policy interventions, saying they reflected Nigeria’s determination to ensure that development is inclusive and that poverty reduction is driven by people-centred action.

He said the initiatives proclaim that every life matters, every community deserves opportunity and no citizen should be left behind.

Akpabio congratulated President Tinubu for what he described as the administration’s unwavering commitment to building a prosperous, inclusive and resilient Nigeria.

“Mr. President, your administration has consistently affirmed that economic reforms must ultimately translate into human progress. These programmes give practical expression to that conviction. They remind us that government exists to improve lives,” he said.

The Senate President also commended the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, governors of participating states, implementing agencies and the World Bank for supporting the successful rollout of the programmes.

He described the NG-CARES Additional Financing Programme as a bold response to the economic disruptions affecting livelihoods across the country, noting that it recognises the struggles of families, farmers, traders and young entrepreneurs seeking opportunities to rebuild their lives.

On the SOLID programme, Akpabio said it reflects the nation’s finest values by providing support to Nigerians displaced by conflict, insecurity and natural disasters.

“The SOLID programme represents more than support. It is an affirmation of our national solidarity. It reminds us that we rise or fall together and that compassion is the foundation of nation-building,” he said.

He added that the HOPE programme demonstrates the government’s commitment to investing in healthcare, education and human capital development, describing citizens as the country’s greatest asset.

“Every classroom strengthened, every healthcare facility improved, every teacher empowered and every health worker supported represents an investment in a brighter future,” he said.

According to him, hope is not wishful thinking but confidence built on deliberate action.

“Hope is what parents feel when they know their children will receive quality education. Hope is what mothers feel when accessible healthcare is no longer a distant dream. Hope is what communities experience when government policies genuinely touch everyday lives,” he stated.

Akpabio assured the President that the National Assembly would provide the legislative framework, oversight and partnership necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the programmes.

“We understand that appropriations must produce measurable outcomes, that oversight must strengthen implementation rather than merely scrutinise it, and that legislation must ultimately improve lives and communities.

“Our duty extends beyond passing laws. We must ensure that those laws become instruments of national transformation.”

He stressed that development requires collaboration among the Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, private sector, development partners and citizens, adding that nations become prosperous when institutions and citizens move in the same direction.

The Senate President expressed confidence that the NG-CARES Additional Financing, SOLID and HOPE programmes would restore livelihoods, strengthen communities, expand opportunities and inspire renewed confidence in Nigeria’s future.

He urged all stakeholders to work together to build a Nigeria “where compassion informs policy, opportunity reaches every community, no citizen is left behind, and hope becomes not merely a promise but the everyday experience of every Nigerian