The Nigerian government has begun the revalidation exercise on the National Social Register to strengthen the conditional cash transfer programme and ease the impact of economic reforms.

About 2.3 million households have been confirmed and cleared for the payment under the revamped scheme.

The World Bank raises concerns over the disbursement

Abisoye Coker-Odusote, the Director General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), confirmed this at a recent conference at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.

The development comes amid issues raised by the World Bank over the sluggish implementation of the cash transfer programme after the removal of subsidies from petrol and FX market unification.

The World Bank disclosed that only 37% of the 15 million households, about 5.6 million, received payments two years after the programme’s launch.

The global lender had approved an $800 million loan for the scheme, out of which $350 million was disbursed as of April 30, 2025, Legit.ng reported.

According to the World Bank, only 5.6 million households, representing 37%, had received at least a tranche of direct transfers.

FG moves to verify Nigerians biometrically

It also said that the scheme’s expansion depends on biometrically verifiable data of at least one adult member of the household with a digital identity.

Additionally, the bank said efforts to provide support to the poorest and most economically vulnerable households should be intensified and expanded.

Punch reports that the NIMC DG said the revalidation exercise was done under the National Safety Nets project to ensure that only eligible Nigerians benefit from the government’s palliative.

She disclosed that the Nigerian government is currently conducting a revalidation exercise on the national social register to effect payment.

According to her, the government has revalidated 2.3 million persons and will begin the payment process soon, stating that the government’s job is to ensure the number of people validated.

The NIMC DG highlighted the importance of accurate identity verification in delivering interventions, saying that the move is rigorous.

“We don’t want to pay people who no longer exist. So, the right thing must be done, and I want to emphasise that,” she stated.

FG explains the reason for the slow disbursement

Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, said on a recent television interview that the programme’s slow process was due to the need for biometric authentication, a necessary step to ensure transparency and prevent fraud.

He said the World Bank is careful with fund disbursement, which might create some bottlenecks.

Fasua said that the reason for disbursing the fund to 37% of recipients was due to the need to have biometric confirmation, stating that the finance ministry records disbursement and indigent beneficiaries.

The presidential aide asked for patience, saying that the transparency of the process was more crucial than speed.