Sanni Marvelous
Nigerians have taken to social media to demand accountability over the Federal Government’s claim that it disbursed N330 billion to 8.1 million vulnerable households under the National Social Safety Net Programme.
Many citizens are questioning the transparency of the process and insisting that the names of beneficiaries must be published.
“They are the vulnerable ones and they shared it amongst themselves,” Philip Datek wrote, reflecting widespread scepticism over the government’s announcement.
Others raised concerns about the sustainability of palliative measures. Peter Akpan asked, “How long shall we continue to share money and give palliative that does not add value to the lives of the citizenry? When shall jobs will be created?”
For Bonny Fran, the disbursement raises more questions than answers. “Sincerely it is necessary we have the names of the beneficiaries published as it is No longer a joke where N330bn is shared to 8.1m households and everybody is still crying of hunger and lack of money. How can Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government of Nigeria spend such a huge amount and nobody can trace or have any idea about the few that are beneficiaries. #PublishthelistofAllthebeneficiariesoftheN330bn. This is a fraud if they refuse to publish the list of the beneficiaries,” he wrote.
Olajide Olayemi echoed the call for transparency. “Publish the names and tell us the criteria for the selected persons you send it to. It won’t cost you much, send us a link where we can check the names. You never can tell, my name might be there when I didn’t receive a dime,” he said.
He added that since Nigeria’s return to democracy, he has never seen any evidence of such interventions reaching ordinary citizens. “Can someone tell me how these poor are identified and in which bank account the poor in the street received this N330bn?” Olayemi asked.
Government’s Position
The Federal Government insists the programme is transparent and built on verified data. On Wednesday, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, announced that N330bn had been disbursed to 8.1 million households as part of efforts to cushion the harsh effects of ongoing economic reforms.
Edun explained that earlier delays were caused by biometric integration with the National Identification Number (NIN) but assured that all outstanding payments would be cleared before the end of 2025. “We are pleased to report that the social protection programme, which provides a safety net to help Nigerians cope with rising prices, is now firmly back on track. Already, 8.1 million households have received at least one tranche of the N25,000 promised to them, with two more payments outstanding,” he said.
According to him, the programme—partly supported by an $800 million World Bank loan—has expanded from an initial 15 million households to 19.7 million households, covering about 70 million Nigerians.
The minister stressed that the digital payment system through bank accounts and mobile wallets was designed to block political interference. “In any modern economy, a social safety net is essential. Nigeria now has the capability to budget annually for direct support to vulnerable groups, ensuring timely intervention as needed,” he declared.
Transparency Framework
The National Coordinator of the National Social Safety Net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Funmi Olotu, also defended the process. She disclosed that about 10.2 million NINs were collected, out of which 9.6 million were validated by the National Identity Management Commission.
“The National Social Register is not a political register. The Minister of Finance cannot give me names to put on the register. Mr President cannot give me names either,” Olotu stressed.
She added that President Tinubu had signed an executive order making the NSR the sole database for government interventions. “The framework was designed not just for this intervention but as the permanent foundation of Nigeria’s social protection system,” she said.
Wider Context
Data from the Presidential Panel on Social Investment Programmes shows that 61 per cent of beneficiary households were female-headed, while 39 per cent were male-led. Regionally, the North-West received the largest share with three million households, accounting for 72 per cent of disbursements, while the South got 28 per cent.
The IMF, in its June 2025 report, acknowledged Nigeria’s progress but warned that poverty and food insecurity still threatened inclusive growth. It urged the government to ensure that savings from reforms are reinvested in social protection and priority infrastructure.
Despite the assurances, many Nigerians remain unconvinced. For them, the central question is simple: Where is the list of beneficiaries?
