Effective this February 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria is to commence the disbursement of N4 billion conditional cash transfers to vulnerable households in the nation.
Making the pronouncement during the launch of the 2025 Nigeria Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan at the United Nations House in Abuja penultimate week – the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwada – stated that the interventions were aimed at addressing the country’s deepening humanitarian crisis.
Designed to support at least 10 million displaced households – with possibility of running through April 2025 – the initiative primarily targets the most vulnerable members of society.
Hear the Honourable Minister: “The President has approved the Ministry’s (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction) plan to begin paying conditional cash transfers to 10 million displaced households between February and April (2025). This initiative aims to support those most in need, particularly vulnerable families affected by displacement.”
Yilwada went on: “Additionally, the government has allocated N2bn to provide interest-free loans to farmers in rural communities. These loans will range from N300,000 to N400,000 per household, helping farmers access necessary resources and linking them to market opportunities.
“Furthermore, a N4bn provision has been approved to support vulnerable groups through cash transfers, targeting families affected by natural disasters and other crises. These interventions are part of the government’s broader strategy to alleviate poverty and provide relief to those in urgent need.”
Highlighting the government’s commitment to addressing the needs of internally displaced persons, returnees and affected communities across Nigeria, the Poverty Reduction Minister remarked that his Ministry’s Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan was developed through extensive consultations. This is targeted to address the humanitarian challenges in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe and other conflict-affected regions.
Laudable as the renewed cash transfer and related programmes of the Humanitarian Affairs Ministry appear, one major concern to the OBSERVERS TIMES is determining how different the succeeding plans are vis-a-viz their predecessors.
What lessons have been learnt as regards effective and efficient implementation of programmes under the Ministry’s new leadership? Towards avoiding the pitfalls of the past, the essence of repackaging initiatives to attach human faces to them cannot be overstressed. This is moreso for concerned Persons Living With Disabilities (PLWDs) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
By partnering with relevant donors and multilateral agencies, the Ministry will not only succeed in eliminating possibilities of duplication of efforts – but realize the aggregation of scarce resources and their effective distribution to register impacts in the lives of vulnerable persons.
Moreover, reason dictates that for strategic planning, robust monitoring and effective delivery of humanitarian activities, the Ministry had best not succumb to political pressures from politicians who inundate it with patronage requests for their constituencies.
If interventions are to be timely, effective and life-saving also, it is advised that National Humanitarian and Poverty Reduction priorities align with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Lastly but not the least, the Ministry’s proposed Sustainable Training Plan coming up this 1st quarter of 2025 in the Six Geo-political Zones of Nigeria must be conducted dispassionately without any considerations for religious sentiments, tribalism and nepotism.
