Economic hardship: Nigeria to restart direct cash transfer to 12 million homes

The Federal Government has resolved to re-launch the direct cash transfers to 12 million households to address the current economic hardship in the country.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, disclosed this during the ministry’s retreat on Wednesday in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.

He said the direct cash transfer scheme was extended to cover more than 12 million households, from the initial three million.

The federal government commenced the direct cash transfer scheme in August last year as part of measures to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal on Nigerians.

The minister said: “The presidential panel on the social investment programmes, has prepared to go to Mr. President with an internal recommendation to restart the direct payments to the poorest and the most vulnerable. Everything is being done to ease the pain.

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“We know that there were about three million beneficiaries now, but given the way the rates have gone, there are probably another 12 million households that can benefit from the payment.

“The only thing delaying that is not waiting for the end of the report. It is something that the intervention is meant to happen immediately.

“We have technology experts, the commitment was to make sure that we use technology to ensure that we have a seamless payment, a seamless movement between the registered and the direct beneficiaries without any manual processes in between.”

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