The federal government has announced plans to disburse cash transfers to 2.2 million vulnerable households before the end of August.
The Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Tanko Sununu announced this during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
He said the initiative is part of the government’s ongoing effort to alleviate poverty and address humanitarian crises in the country.
Sununu added that the households were identified through the National Social Safety-Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO) using the national social register.
Sununu highlighted previous interventions, stating that N419 billion has already been disbursed to 5.9 million households, approximately 25 million Nigerians, under the Conditional Cash Transfer programme.
He noted that about 71% of these funds went to the northern part of the country, and 21% went to the south.
At a separate event in Abuja, the minister raised concerns about Nigeria’s worsening humanitarian situation, revealing that over 3 million people are internally displaced due to a combination of flooding, insecurity, and natural disasters.
He warned that millions of citizens are at risk of hunger and malnutrition as global aid funding declines.
Sununu informed the House of Representatives ad hoc committee on flood management and response that a “critical humanitarian challenge” has been created by the combined effects of these crises and shrinking donor support.
He cited the recent suspension of some World Food Programme activities, which had previously supported over 1.2 million Nigerians in the North-East, leaving hundreds of thousands of children at risk of malnutrition.
The minister also highlighted the uneven distribution of poverty, with the northern region accounting for approximately 65% of Nigeria’s poor population.
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He mentioned that many of the smallholder farmers in this group have lost their livelihoods due to floods and droughts.
To counter this, the government is strengthening interventions through the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), with the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) providing interest-free loans of N300,000 to smallholder farmers to aid in their recovery.
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, represented by Prof. Julius Ihombvere, inaugurated the ad hoc committee, tasking its members with providing immediate and long-term solutions to Nigeria’s recurring flood crisis.
The speaker emphasised that flooding is not just an environmental issue but also an economic, social, and humanitarian challenge that requires a coordinated and holistic approach.
The committee has been tasked with identifying gaps in the country’s preparedness, recommending a clear roadmap for national resilience against flooding, and working closely with relevant agencies such as the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and various ministries.
The speaker also highlighted the importance of using satellite imagery from the Nigerian Space Agency for effective flood mapping.
