FG moves to tackle poverty, strengthen cash transfer programme in Kwara

The federal government says it is intensifying efforts to strengthen social protection programmes and create sustainable pathways for vulnerable Nigerians to improve their livelihoods.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, stated this on Saturday during an engagement with beneficiaries and stakeholders of the Household Prosperity and Empowerment Cash Transfer (HoPE-CT) Programme in Kwara State, as part of a nationwide assessment of the intervention.

Doro said the visit was aimed at obtaining direct feedback from beneficiaries, evaluating programme performance and ensuring government policies are shaped by realities at the grassroots.

“I needed to come down myself—to see, to hear, and to understand what is working and what must change,” the minister said.

He explained that the HoPE-CT Programme was not designed merely for cash disbursement, but as a strategic intervention to support poor households and help them achieve long-term economic independence.

“Government support must not end at disbursement; it must translate into measurable progress, improved livelihoods, and ultimately, self-reliance,” he said.

The minister also highlighted the ministry’s One Humanitarian – One Poverty Response System, which he said is aimed at coordinating interventions, reducing duplication and ensuring a more effective response to poverty nationwide.

He added that the next phase of the programme would focus on linking cash transfers with skills acquisition, livelihood support and cooperative structures to help beneficiaries exit poverty sustainably.