A major change is happening in Nigeria’s poverty support plan. In just six months, the federal government has helped 6 million people through the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, with plans to reach 15 million Nigerians by October 2025. This was confirmed by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, during a recent Skills-to-Wealth (S2W) training session held in Jos.
One Million People Reached Every Month
The minister said that compared to the past, the new system is moving faster. “We have supported six million people in six months. That means one million people are getting help every month,” he said. He explained that in the last nine years, only two million people got help in total — just 200,000 people each year.
But now, the plan is bigger. The president wants 15 million households to be supported within nine months. According to Yilwatda, this target will be reached by October 2025.
New Digital System in Place
To make sure the right people get the money, the government is now using a digital method. Every home on the national social register will now get a digital identity and an e-wallet account. Officials are also visiting homes to confirm if the people actually live there.
“We removed many names that we couldn’t verify,” the minister said. “Some had errors or could not be found.”
This new system is expected to improve trust and stop fake entries in the programme.
World Bank Checked the Results
To confirm that the right people are receiving the funds, the government asked the World Bank to do an independent check. After the first four million people received their cash, the World Bank visited their homes.
The result? 96 percent of the people were confirmed to be real and listed on the official register. The other 4 percent could not be verified because they had moved or were living in areas affected by insecurity.
Skills-to-Wealth Training Also Running
In addition to cash payments, the government is also working on the Skills-to-Wealth (S2W) programme. This programme helps Nigerian youth learn skills in agriculture, renewable energy, and automobile work. The goal is to give them tools to earn money and grow their future.
Why This Programme Matters
According to the World Bank’s April 2025 Africa Report, 19 percent of the extremely poor people in sub-Saharan Africa live in Nigeria. That’s over 106 million Nigerians living in extreme poverty.
This also means Nigeria is home to about 15 percent of the world’s poorest people — more than 1 in every 7 poor persons on the planet lives in Nigeria.
This situation shows why programmes like the Conditional Cash Transfer are very important to help millions survive and move toward a better life.
Started in 2016, Now Gaining Speed in 2025
The Conditional Cash Transfer programme started in September 2016, but real progress is now being made in 2025 with faster actions, better digital tracking, and more people getting help in less time