The Federal Government has said 9.2 million vulnerable Nigerians have received cash transfer through the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE-CT) Programme to tackle poverty.
The programme, which runs under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is becoming very popular among vulnerable households across the country.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, also said the Federal Government is targeting 15 million households under the HoPE-CT programme.
At a ministerial media briefing yesterday in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, described the intervention as a major step in the administration’s transition from short-term relief measures to a coordinated, data-driven social protection system.
“We are not here to manage poverty. We are here to end it,” Doro said.
The minister stressed that the programme represents a deliberate shift towards sustainable poverty eradication.
Under the scheme, each eligible household receives N75,000 over three months to support basic needs, such as food, healthcare, and education.
Beneficiaries are drawn from the National Social Register and verified through the NIN or BVN.
Payments are processed through secure digital platforms to eliminate duplication and fraud.
Providing a breakdown of disbursements, Doro announced that 9,178,837 beneficiaries have received the first tranche, 7,203,579 the second, and 6,497,089 the third tranche.
The minister said the figures reflected tangible improvements in the lives of millions of Nigerians.
He said: “These are not just numbers. They represent households whose dignity is being restored and whose resilience is being strengthened.
“We will embed livelihood support and graduation pathways into all interventions, ensuring beneficiaries move from vulnerability to economic self-reliance.
“This is bigger than a programme. We are building a system where every intervention leads to measurable progress out of poverty.”
Doro explained that the initiative also reflected strong collaboration across all tiers of government and local communities to ensure accurate targeting and inclusiveness.
Highlighting the programme’s social impact, the minister stated that 58.7 per cent of beneficiaries are women, while 41.3 per cent are men.
He described the gender focus as a deliberate strategy to strengthen households and communities.
“When you empower a woman, you strengthen a household. When you strengthen a household, you stabilise a community,” Doro said.
Also, the National Programme Manager of the National Cash Transfer Office (NCTO), Abdullahi Imam, said the programme, which took off in November 2023, is backed by an $800 million International Development Association facility of the World Bank.
According to him, the initial target of 10.4 million households has now been expanded to 15 million, with about 9.2 million beneficiaries already receiving at least one tranche of ₦25,000.
“At its core, the programme is about people — families who need support to stay afloat in difficult times and a fair chance to build better lives,” Imam said.
In a statement yesterday in Abuja by Abdullahi Musa of the ministry’s Public Relations and Protocol Unit, the minister highlighted the significant impact of the HoPE-CT programme.
Idris described the programme as one of the most ambitious and impactful social intervention initiatives of the government.
The minister, who was represented by the Director of Public Relations and Protocol Department, Dr. Suleiman Haruna, spoke at the HoPE-CT implementation briefing and press conference yesterday.
He explained that the programme is designed to reach 15 million vulnerable households, with special uplift grants of ₦50,000 to 3.6 million families, reinforcing the government’s poverty reduction agenda.
According to him, the HoPE-CT initiative goes beyond statistics but represents renewed hope, dignity, and improved living conditions for vulnerable Nigerians.
Idris hailed the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction for its dedication and achievements in implementing the programme.
“The HoPE-CT programme is about restoring hope, expanding opportunities, and laying the foundation for inclusive prosperity. It demonstrates that the government is attentive to the needs of its citizens, especially those at the grassroots,” he stated.
Idris restated the need to move beyond figures and focus on the human impact of government interventions.
The minister urged journalists and media practitioners to tell compelling, factual, and non-partisan stories that highlight the real-life transformation of beneficiaries.
“As storytellers, the media must amplify the human angle of these interventions — showcasing before-and-after experiences that rekindle hope among Nigerians and strengthen trust in government,” he said.
The minister stressed that renewing hope remains a central agenda of the current administration and called for sustained collaboration between the media and government institutions to effectively communicate policies and programmes.
Idris outlined several key social intervention initiatives of the Federal Government aimed at promoting social inclusion and alleviating poverty.
He said: “The National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) has been reconfigured to include non-collateral, interest-free loans of ₦300,000 to ₦400,000 for youth and women through cooperatives, alongside a revised N-Power programme.
“The Student Loan Scheme (NELFUND) has approved over ₦95.6 billion to support Nigerian students in higher education. The Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) continues to provide microloans to entrepreneurs, market women, and traders under TraderMoni and related schemes.
“The 3 Million Technical Talent Programme (3MTT) is targeted at equipping 3 million Nigerians with technical and digital skills, while the Skill-Up Artisans Programme (SUPA) focuses on upgrading artisans’ skills through technology-enabled training. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has been repositioned to boost school enrollment and support local farmers.
“The Consumer Credit Scheme, backed with over ₦200 billion, enables citizens to acquire goods without immediate cash payments, while the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) Initiative provides transport subsidies to reduce commuting costs. Livelihood Support Grants are delivering nano-grants to 600,000 micro-businesses nationwide, and the LUMINAH 2030 Initiative is designed to empower over one million women and girls through education and vocational training.”
The minister promised that the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation would continue to collaborate with relevant ministries and agencies to ensure effective dissemination of information and improved public engagement on the Federal Government’s programmes.
“As we receive feedback and fine-tune implementation, we will continue to listen, learn, and deliver. Together, we must keep building a Nigeria where no one is left behind,” he added.
