Nigeria Launches Unified Poverty Register with N3.2tn Fund

The Federal Government of Nigeria unveiled a unified poverty register and proposed a N3.2 trillion humanitarian poverty reduction fund during a workshop on humanitarian poverty response systems held on Tuesday. Bernard Doro, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, emphasized the need to streamline existing fragmented programs into a cohesive structure focused on long-term outcomes.

The unified national register aims to provide skills, assets, and livelihood support to individuals, ensuring they achieve independence through employment or business. The proposed fund breakdown includes N1.5 trillion from the federal government, N800 billion from development partners, N600 billion from the private sector, and N300 billion from climate global funds.

The initiative seeks to enhance monitoring and coordination of poverty interventions, addressing the multidimensional nature of poverty in Nigeria. Doro highlighted the urgency of fiscal prudence amid socio-economic pressures and climate shocks, calling for a coordinated approach across government institutions to effectively tackle poverty.