Tinubu Approves ₦17bn Fund for Grassroots Development

President Bola Tinubu has approved a ₦17 billion Community-Based National Social Action Fund to accelerate grassroots development across Nigeria's 8,804 political wards. This initiative, announced in a statement released on Wednesday, aims to deepen local participation in service delivery and improve socio-economic outcomes.

The program will be implemented by a newly established task force led by the Federal Ministry of Health, with Ado Bako serving as the Assistant Director for Public Relations. The task force will work with verified community-based organizations to identify and execute priority projects tailored to local needs.

The initiative will run from March to December 2026, with a program management unit located within the ministry. The fund will be drawn from a ring-fenced intervention account managed by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

The statement emphasized the need for a decentralized approach to development, particularly in rural and underserved communities, highlighting that a significant portion of the population lacks access to basic services.