The Federal Government has disbursed N658.9bn in direct cash transfers to 10.46 million poor and vulnerable households as of September 2026, but the World Bank has urged the authorities to strengthen the programme through wider coverage, adequate payments and consistent disbursements.
The bank said the government needed to build on the reported progress by establishing a sustainable social protection system that would provide regular support to vulnerable Nigerians rather than relying primarily on emergency interventions.
The recommendation was contained in the latest Nigeria Development Update, titled ‘Beyond the Federal Purse: How Higher Revenues Shaped State Priorities’, analysed on Sunday, which examined economic conditions and the role of government interventions in cushioning households against financial hardship.According to the report, the Federal Government used biometric and digital verification systems to identify beneficiaries and deliver payments under its direct cash transfer programme.The World Bank said social protection and effective public service delivery could help protect households from the effects of economic pressures, but warned that the impact of such interventions would depend on the number of people reached, the adequacy of the assistance and the regularity of payments.
Social protection and service delivery can help cushion households against these pressures, though their effectiveness will continue to depend on coverage, adequacy, and continuity,” the report stated.
It noted that although the N658.9bn disbursement had reached millions of vulnerable households, the programme needed to be expanded and strengthened to improve its contribution to household welfare