FG, Ondo Govt Validate ₦9.9bn Cash Transfer Beneficiaries as 396,671 Households Benefit

FG, Ondo Govt Validate ₦9.9bn Cash Transfer Beneficiaries as 396,671 Households Benefit
The Federal Government and the Ondo State Government have commenced a validation process for beneficiaries of the ₦9.9 billion Household Prosperity and Cash Transfer Programme in the state.
Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa made this known while receiving the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard M. Doro, during a courtesy visit in Akure.
Aiyedatiwa stressed the need for stronger collaboration between the Federal Government and sub-national governments to ensure effective implementation of social intervention programmes. He noted that governance at both levels must remain complementary for better service delivery.
The governor commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for introducing the Household Prosperity and Cash Transfer Programme under the Renewed Hope Agenda, describing it as a major intervention aimed at supporting vulnerable Nigerians.
According to him, the South-West region has received about ₦62 billion under the scheme, with Ondo State accounting for 396,671 beneficiary households across the first, second, and third tranches.
He explained that due to the large scale of the programme, targeted engagement of selected beneficiaries across the 18 local government areas is being used instead of full household verification, allowing authorities to gather direct feedback on its impact.
The governor also highlighted challenges related to National Identification Number (NIN) registration, directing officials to intensify efforts to update data for affected beneficiaries to ensure seamless payment.
In his remarks, Doro said the visit was part of a nationwide review of the cash transfer programme, which has so far disbursed ₦75,000 in three tranches to the poorest households across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He disclosed that over nine million households have benefited nationwide, with Ondo State alone receiving about ₦9.9 billion through multiple payment cycles.
The minister, however, raised concerns over low public awareness of the programme, calling for improved communication and transparency in the delivery of social protection initiatives.
Doro added that selected beneficiaries in Ondo State would be engaged directly to confirm receipt of funds and provide feedback, noting that the Federal Government is working on a redesigned social protection framework to enhance future interventions.
He described the ongoing exercise as a data validation process aimed at improving accountability, targeting accuracy, and overall effectiveness of federal welfare programmes.