World Bank Reports 67.19M Nigerians Benefited from Cash Transfers

The World Bank's Implementation Status and Results Report on the National Social Safety Net Programme-Scale Up revealed that by August 2026, Nigeria's cash-based social intervention programs had reached 67.19 million people and 10.44 million households. Despite these figures, concerns persist regarding the identification and traceability of beneficiaries.

The report indicated that 10.43 million poor and vulnerable households received economic shock-responsive cash transfers, with over 7.1 million households completing biometric verification. However, the Auditor General for the Federation's 2024 report raised issues about the documentation supporting N33.751 billion in electronic transfers to 3,295,207 households, stating that payment vouchers lacked full beneficiary details.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar questioned discrepancies in household figures and the total disbursed amount. Additionally, President Bola Tinubu suspended Betta Edu following reports of unauthorized transfers to a private account.

The World Bank noted that the number of beneficiaries exceeded the program's target of 56 million by June 2027.