12.3 Million Nigerians Linked to Social Register via NIN

Dr. Funmi Olotu, the National Social Safety Net Coordinator (NASSCO), announced that 12.3 million Nigerians have been linked to the national social register via their National Identification Number (NIN).

This disclosure was made during a high-level stakeholder engagement in Abuja, focusing on enhancing local government leadership in social protection delivery. The initiative aims to improve data integrity, eliminate duplication, and ensure that government interventions reach the appropriate beneficiaries.

Currently, the national social register covers 20 million households and 77 million individuals across 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. Olotu emphasized the importance of local governments in the successful implementation of social protection programs, urging local government chairmen to take ownership of the NIN integration process.

Olubunmi Olusanya, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, highlighted the national social register as a critical pillar in Nigeria's poverty reduction and humanitarian response framework, warning that millions of vulnerable Nigerians risk exclusion from government interventions without full NIN integration.