ActionAid Demands Transparency in FG’s N50,000 Cash Support Scheme

ActionAid Nigeria has urged the federal government to ensure transparency and accountability in the implementation of its proposed N50,000 cash support scheme for poor and vulnerable Nigerians, demanding full disclosure of the programme’s funding sources, beneficiary selection criteria and disbursement arrangements.

The organisation warned that the National Emergency Relief and Stabilisation Intervention (NERSI) must be implemented through a transparent and equitable process to prevent political interference, diversion of funds and exclusion of deserving beneficiaries.

The call followed the announcement of the intervention by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Bernard Doro, on October 30, 2026, against the backdrop of rising costs of food, transportation, housing and other essential services.

Country director of ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said the government must explain how the intervention would be financed, the total amount committed and the mechanisms established to ensure that public funds reached their intended beneficiaries.

“The federal government has a responsibility to explain whether the intervention is funded through existing budgetary allocations, supplementary appropriations, savings from economic reforms, development financing or other sources.

“Nigerians deserve to know the total amount committed to the programme, how much has been released and what mechanisms have been established to ensure that every naira reaches its intended beneficiary,” Mamedu said.

He expressed concern over the absence of a clearly disclosed programme budget, specific beneficiary targets and an implementation timeline, noting that the scale of the intervention required adequate financial planning and public accountability.

According to ActionAid, providing N50,000 monthly to one million households would require N50 billion every month, while extending the support to five million households would cost N250 billion monthly.

The organisation said the projections highlighted the need for transparent budgeting, legislative oversight and regular public reporting to enable Nigerians to monitor the use of funds.

It also raised concerns over conflicting information regarding the payment structure, noting that while the minister reportedly described the intervention as a monthly support programme, the official programme website identified it as a one-off grant.

ActionAid therefore called on the federal government to clarify whether the N50,000 assistance would be a one-off payment or a monthly allowance and disclose how long beneficiaries would receive the support.

On beneficiary selection, the organisation said recipients would reportedly be identified through the National Social Register and verified national identity records.

It noted that the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) had indicated that the register captured more than 20 million poor and vulnerable households.

However, ActionAid questioned when the register was last updated, the criteria for selecting beneficiaries and how households that had recently fallen into poverty would be captured.

It urged the government to prioritise the poorest and most marginalised Nigerians, particularly women-headed households, persons with disabilities, internally displaced persons, older persons and vulnerable rural communities.

The organisation also called for accessible grievance and redress mechanisms for eligible Nigerians excluded from the register, stressing that access to social protection should not depend solely on possession of national identification documents, mobile phones or bank accounts.

Mamedu further cautioned against politicising the intervention, particularly with the 2027 general elections approaching.

“Social protection is not a political favour or an act of charity; it is a responsibility of government to its citizens.

“Nigerians deserve to know who is receiving this money, how beneficiaries are selected and whether the support is reaching those who need it most.

“With the 2027 general elections approaching, government must demonstrate that this intervention is driven strictly by vulnerability and need, not political considerations,” he said.

ActionAid urged Nigerians to recognise that social protection funds were part of their entitlements as citizens and not favours from government.

It encouraged beneficiaries and members of the public to demand accountability and report irregularities, exclusion, diversion and other discrepancies to relevant oversight institutions and civil society organisations.

The organisation also called for the disclosure of the criteria used in selecting digital payment providers, administrative costs and mechanisms for independently verifying disbursements.

It said periodic public reports should indicate the number of households paid, total funds disbursed, geographical distribution of beneficiaries, failed transactions and complaints resolved, while ensuring the protection of beneficiaries’ personal information.

Among its recommendations, ActionAid urged the federal government to publish the programme’s funding sources, approved budget, total financial commitment and implementation timeline, including actual releases and administrative expenses.

It also called for transparent beneficiary selection criteria, an updated National Social Register, independent verification of payments, third-party monitoring by credible civil society organisations and stronger safeguards against fund diversion and political interference.

Beyond the immediate cash support, the organisation urged the government to strengthen pro-poor economic and social policies to address the structural causes of poverty.

It identified investments in decent jobs, affordable healthcare, quality education, food security, sustainable livelihoods and essential public services as critical to reducing poverty and improving household resilience.

ActionAid maintained that social protection programmes should form part of a broader and adequately financed poverty reduction strategy that provides immediate relief while creating sustainable economic opportunities.

It stressed that the success of the intervention should be measured by the number of vulnerable Nigerians who actually receive the support, the fairness of the selection process and the accountability with which public resources are managed.

“The success of this intervention must be measured not by the amount announced, but by the number of vulnerable Nigerians who receive the support, the fairness of the selection process and the accountability with which public resources are managed,” the organisation said.