The Benue State Government has announced that the number of poor and vulnerable individuals captured in its social register has risen to 1.7 million, marking a significant increase in the database used for social intervention programs.
The Director General of the State Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Professor Jerome Andohol, disclosed this on Monday during a three-day training program for desk officers, grievance redress officers, and enumerators on updating the State Social Register and integrating the National Identity Number (NIN).
According to Prof. Andohol, the current administration inherited a register containing 1.6 million individuals but has since expanded it to accommodate more beneficiaries.
“At the assumption of office of this administration, the figure of Poor and Vulnerable Households (PVHHs) was 417,743, while the number of individuals stood at 1,661,039. There has been tremendous improvement in updating this data, increasing the number of PVHHs to 496,993, while the individual count has now risen to 1,746,411,” he said.
The latest update reflects an addition of 79,250 households and 85,372 individuals since Governor Hyacinth Alia assumed office.
Despite the progress made, Prof. Andohol highlighted several challenges affecting the Federal Government’s Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program, particularly difficulties encountered by many intended beneficiaries in accessing funds due to improper account details and the lack of unique identifiers like NIN.
“In order to bridge this gap, the Federal Government has mandated that all potential beneficiaries already listed in the social register must have their account details linked with their NIN,” he explained.
The ongoing exercise is focused on training enumerators on technology and modalities for integrating NINs into the account details of individuals in the social register. Additionally, those who do not yet have a NIN but are in the database will have their information collected for registration.
“This exercise is crucial for ensuring our people benefit from the Federal Government’s palliative measures, particularly to cushion the impact of fuel subsidy removal,” Andohol added. “It also promotes financial inclusion and reduces cash dependence, ensuring that the right individuals receive the intended support.”
Governor Hyacinth Alia, who was represented by his Deputy, Sam Ode, reiterated the importance of NIN integration, describing it as a fundamental part of national identity and a critical tool for ensuring transparency and efficiency in government welfare programs.
“The integration of this number into the Social Register is not just a technical advancement, but a major step toward making our social welfare programs more efficient, transparent, and accessible to everyone,” he stated.
He emphasized that the Tinubu-led administration is committed to ensuring all data-driven processes are inclusive, accurate, and effective in reaching those in need.
The National Program Coordinator of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Mrs. Funmi Olotu, who was represented by the Head of Communications, Timiyehin Ayodele-Ozoya, affirmed that the State Social Register plays a critical role in Nigeria’s social safety net programs.
She described it as a single, unified database used for targeting and implementing interventions for vulnerable populations across the country.
The three-day training program was organized by the Benue State Government in collaboration with the State Operation Coordinating Unit (SOCU), the Benue State Budget and Economic Planning Commission, the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
With the continuous expansion of the State Social Register, the Benue State Government aims to ensure that more vulnerable individuals receive much-needed financial and social support, further aligning with the federal government’s broader strategy of poverty reduction and economic inclusion.
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