Nigerians reject FG’s N330bn cash transfer claim: ‘Which households got it?’

Scepticism has greeted the federal government’s announcement that it has disbursed N330 billion in cash transfers to poor and vulnerable Nigerians, with many citizens taking to social media to dismiss the claim as fraudulent, exaggerated and lacking transparency.

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, told reporters in Abuja on Wednesday that the funds were released through the National Social Safety-net Coordinating Office (NASSCO), with 8.5 million households already receiving at least one tranche of N25,000 from an $800 million World Bank facility. He said the transfers were tied to beneficiaries’ National Identification Numbers (NIN) and credited directly to their bank accounts or mobile wallets.

According to him, the programme targets 15 million households out of about 20 million captured on the National Social Register, representing nearly 75 million Nigerians. He added that the outstanding households would be reached before the end of the year.

But the announcement has been met with a storm of doubt online, with Nigerians openly questioning who the supposed beneficiaries are.

“Which household? Make a video of those you disbursed it to and the smile on their faces,” wrote Olawale, @Ola42563004.

Another user, Alabi I. Ayodeji, @damola_ade77, noted: “It’s hard to believe this though. 8.5 million households means about 34 million people affected using 4 people per household. Using the population of 220 million, that’s 1 in every 6 Nigerians impacted. We should know one or two people benefiting.”

Others expressed outright disbelief. “How was this achieved, who benefited from this? What is going on?” asked @mallamyisa.

“Post the account that received the money,” demanded @sulaimonofweb3.

“How many are we in this country that this money did not get to anyone close to me. You guys are fraud, absolute fraud. At least 1m should go around,” added @PEACEJDG.

For some, the payments were nothing more than a cover for corruption. “Never believe these people. This is a corrupt scheme,” @ChukwumaEj88455 said. Another, @greatvicman, argued: “No one can prove that these funds got to real people. No one. And certainly not Edun, whose office is being used to drain these funds away.”

The disbelief reflects deep frustration with Nigeria’s worsening economic crisis. “How and when? I have been unemployed for more than a year now after my NYSC, my bank accounts hold no money. How come I no receive? I no even know anybody wey receive,” lamented @MrChang9.

“It’s a lie. A normal APC lie in a weak country like what they want,” dismissed @woley23.

The controversy is not new. Similar cash transfer initiatives under former ministers of humanitarian affairs, Sadiya Farouk and Betta Edu, were repeatedly dogged by allegations of fraud and questions about credibility.

NASSCO’s National Coordinator, Funmi Olotu, however, defended the scheme, insisting that the staggered payments were designed to ensure that only those with verified NIN-linked accounts benefited. “Mr. President said no more traditional mode of payment of cash to people. He said we must pay directly to their bank accounts,” she explained.