TheCable

The federal government says 30 million poor and vulnerable Nigerians have been captured on the social register.

Apera Lorwa, national coordinator of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), told NAN in an interview.

Lorwa said the federal government plans to save 100 million Nigerians from poverty in the next 10 years.

He said the national social register has so far covered the 36 states and federal capital territory (FCT).

“However, our target is 100 million in 10 years,” he said.

“President Buhari made the pronouncement in 2019 and in 2021, we have 30 million in our database that can be reached today with any form of help to push them out of poverty.

“The federal government is already paying about two million people, under the conditional cash transfer initiative. The government is also giving some people from the NSR menial jobs.

“If we address the 30 million Nigerians currently in the NSR now, we can get them out of poverty in the next two years.”

He said Sadiya Farouq, minister of humanitarian affairs, had informed other ministers that the national social register can be used in their various programmes.

Lorwa said essential details capturing the biodata of citizens are contained in the register to enable the government to effectively plan intervention programmes focusing on the poor and vulnerable households.

“So, it is very possible to take 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years when concerted efforts are made towards a robust system, to identify these people and keep them where government can have access to them,” he said.

Lorwa added that the NSR is an information gateway for all potential beneficiaries of humanitarian programmes as it is also being used by the UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations.