FG Unveils $1bn Plan To Tackle Poverty

FG unveils $1bn plan to tackle poverty The Federal Government has launched a $1 billion social protection programme aimed at helping vulnerable Nigerian households move beyond temporary relief and towards sustainable economic independence. The initiative, known as the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Social Protection Project HOPE-SP, is part of a broader government effort to overhaul the country’s approach to humanitarian assistance and poverty reduction. Unveiled in Abuja, the programme is designed to move beneficiaries away from dependence on short-term palliatives by combining immediate stabilisation support with measures aimed at recovery, empowerment and self-reliance. The government says HOPE-SP will improve how vulnerable households are identified and supported, while creating a system for tracking beneficiaries as they progress towards economic inclusion and what it describes as “poverty graduation.” The programme is expected to target about 7.6 million vulnerable households across Nigeria. Eligible households are expected to receive a one-off digital shock-response transfer of ₦40,000, with beneficiaries selected from the National Social Register and validated using their National Identification Numbers (NINs). The government is also introducing the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System OHOPRS to coordinate humanitarian interventions, social protection and poverty-reduction programmes. According to officials, the system will help reduce duplication, strengthen beneficiary identification and enable government to monitor households and measure their progress out of poverty. First Lady Oluremi Tinubu described the initiative as a shift from palliatives to longer-term pathways that can build resilience, dignity and economic independence among vulnerable Nigerians. Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Minister Bernard Doro said the government intends to deliberately track households receiving support and assess whether interventions are helping them become economically self-reliant.The Federal Government said it has already disbursed more than ₦600 billion in cash transfers to vulnerable Nigerians over the past three years, reaching slightly more than 10 million households, according to the minister. The new programme comes as millions of Nigerian households continue to face pressure from rising living costs and reduced purchasing power. The success of the $1 billion initiative will depend heavily on transparent beneficiary selection, effective delivery of funds, proper monitoring and whether vulnerable households can ultimately transition from government assistance to sustainable livelihoods.