Stakeholders and beneficiaries of Nigeria's Federal Government Cash Transfer initiative have raised urgent calls for increased transparency and public awareness, arguing that many of the nation's poorest citizens remain excluded from the vital social protection programme.
Community Outcry in Osun State
The demands were voiced during a recent community outreach event held at the Elujoba community in Ife Central Local Government Area of Osun State. The outreach, implemented on 5 December 2025 by the Act Naija Project, was co-funded by the European Union with support from Brot fur die Welt and ANEEJ. The event's theme, "Empowering Communities Through Awareness: Strengthening Access and Feedback From Improved Social Protection Programmes In Osun State," directly addressed the programme's current shortcomings.
One beneficiary, Pastor Sesan Kuffo, shared his personal experience to highlight systemic issues. "I was not aware of it before, but after being informed, I registered and got the cash transfer once," he revealed. He urged the Federal Government to launch widespread public awareness campaigns and to closely monitor fund disbursement to ensure equity and fairness, which he believes will foster greater accountability.
Officials Echo Calls for Improvement
Responding to the community's concerns, Okunola Omoniyi, the Environmental and Social Safeguard Officer at the State Operating Coordinating Unit, acknowledged the need for prompt action. He admitted to inconsistencies in payments, noting that "some received one tranche and others expected three tranches." Omoniyi implored the Federal Government to streamline the disbursement process to make it seamless and more inclusive, ensuring it reaches everyone in need consistently.
He also called on the public, especially vulnerable groups, to actively participate in data collection exercises, stressing that community outreach programmes are crucial for identifying and enrolling eligible individuals into the social registry.
Urgent Appeal for Mass Registration
Adding her voice to the appeal, Olaniyan Glory, the State Programme Officer of New Initiative for Social Development (NISD) on the Act Naija Project, emphasised the critical link between registration and benefit. "When they don't register, there is no way they will benefit from it," she stated firmly. She implored citizens to come out en masse during registration drives to ensure they can access all available social protection projects within the state.
The collective message from Osun State is clear: while the Cash Transfer scheme under the Federal Government's Social Protection programme is a crucial lifeline, its management requires immediate reforms in transparency, awareness, and equitable implementation to truly serve Nigeria's most vulnerable populations.
