Atiku Abubakar Questions FG's ₦600bn Cash Transfer Program

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has raised concerns regarding the Federal Government's cash transfer program, which reportedly spent over ₦600 billion. In a statement from his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku pointed out conflicting figures regarding the number of households that benefited.

On 16 July 2026, the Presidency claimed that 15 million vulnerable households received cash transfers, a figure reiterated on 2 August 2026. However, on 26 August 2026, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Bernard Doro, stated that only slightly over 10 million households had been reached.

Atiku questioned the whereabouts of the five million households unaccounted for and criticized the government's financial reporting, stating that if 10 million households received full payments, it would amount to about ₦750 billion, while 15 million would exceed ₦1.1 trillion. He demanded a detailed account of the cash distribution, including unique verified households, payment tranches, and an independent audit.