Nigeria's Cash Transfer Program Reaches 9 Million Poorest Households, Edun Reveals
In a significant development for Nigeria's social protection initiatives, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has disclosed that nine million of the country's poorest households have now received direct cash transfers as part of ongoing government reforms. The announcement came during Edun's keynote address at the IDA20 retrospective launch hosted by the World Bank Group on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Digital Enrollment and Gender Inclusion
Speaking on Nigeria's comprehensive social protection and digital reform efforts, Edun revealed that over 12 million Nigerians have been enrolled through digital identification integration systems. Notably, women constitute nearly 60 percent of beneficiaries, highlighting the program's focus on gender inclusion and empowerment.
The minister emphasized that strengthening identification systems has substantially improved transparency while reducing leakages in the distribution process. "When identification is secure and transparent, leakages decline, trust improves, and opportunity expands," Edun stated, underscoring the importance of digital infrastructure in social welfare programs.
Reforms Implemented During Global Crisis
Edun reflected on the challenging global context during which these reforms were implemented, noting that the IDA20 initiative coincided with a period of global uncertainty marked by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain disruptions, and rising food insecurity.
Despite facing significant economic pressures, Nigeria opted to implement structural reforms including:
- Unification of exchange rates
- Removal of petrol subsidy
- End of deficit monetization
The minister acknowledged that the International Development Association's development policy operations provided crucial financial and technical backing to support these ambitious reforms.
Nigeria's Dual Role in International Development
Edun described Nigeria's relationship with the International Development Association as distinctive, noting that the country participates both as a beneficiary and contributing donor. The IDA20 retrospective event, themed "Lessons from IDA20: Delivering Impact in Times of Crisis," reviewed outcomes of the twentieth replenishment that mobilized $97.4 billion in concessional financing for low-income and vulnerable countries including Nigeria.
The minister emphasized that IDA20 highlighted the importance of pooled concessional financing aligned with national priorities, adding that such coordination can reduce fragmentation, improve policy coherence, and strengthen reform efforts across participating nations.
Broader Economic Empowerment Initiatives
This announcement comes alongside other federal government initiatives aimed at economic empowerment, including plans to provide market women, small-scale traders, and artisans with access to zero-interest loans of up to N100,000 through programs like MarketMoni and TraderMoni. These programs specifically target women, micro-entrepreneurs, artisans, and cooperatives nationwide, with MarketMoni designed to provide market women with interest-free loans to grow working capital, restock inventory, and expand their businesses.
The comprehensive approach combining direct cash transfers with broader economic support mechanisms represents Nigeria's multi-faceted strategy to address poverty and stimulate economic growth through targeted social protection programs.
