Nigeria starts paying Sh1,600 stipend to poor people
What you need to know:
- Beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer are picked from the Social Register.
- Nigeria is struggling with an economic recession, making it hard for several families to cope financially.
ABUJA
One million poor and vulnerable Nigerians have started receiving a monthly stipend of $16.4 (Sh1,600) expected to cushion them economically.
The social security programme, called the Conditional Cash Transfer, is part of the governing party’s election campaign pledge to create a safety net for the poorest Nigerians.
The government says payments started last week in nine of 36 states.
The initiative also includes payment of a $98.4 (Sh9,800) stipend to graduates employed under the N-Power programme and disbursement of $3,400 (Sh343,000) as soft loans on the platform of a micro credit scheme.
Beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer are picked from the Social Register, initially developed by eight states with help from the World Bank.
Earlier, concerns were raised about the criteria for choosing beneficiaries.
Nigeria is struggling with an economic recession, making it hard for several families to cope financially.
