Nigeria launches cash transfers with biometric ID verification for 15m households

It has been reported that some Nigerians who are expected to benefit from the government cash assistance program that is aimed at cushioning the efforts of the fuel subsidy removal in Nigeria, have now had their identity verified by the qualified authorities that is overseeing the program. The new program, which was announced on World Poverty Eradication Day, is reportedly based on the biometric Bank Verification Number (BVN).

In a recent development, the secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume has officially launched the first phase of the program dubbed “conditional cash transfer program” this week in Abuja on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

As a result of this development, for the past three weeks, the ID verification process has been ongoing and beneficiaries enlisted on the national social register have had their biometrics and national identification numbers (NIN) verified, The Cable reports.

The outlet cites Humanitarian Affairs Minister Betta Edu as saying that the first phase of the payment has already begun for registered beneficiaries who have had their identity credentials identified in all the 36 states of the country.

While the ID verification will continue for those already registered, the process will be extended to other groups of vulnerable persons such as pension earners, veterans, and widows of fallen soldiers, says Edu.

The federal government also says that the cash transfer program, which is targeting at least 15 million people, is now part of efforts in reducing the effects of the fuel subsidy removal policy on all the most vulnerable sections of the Nigerian population.

It can be recalled that in the past, there have been a call from Bisi Adegbuyi, the Chairman of Nigerian digital ID services provider GAIN, for the use of a standard digital addressing and also ID verification system for the purpose of cash transfer program in order to reduce fraud.