Daniel Otera
Femi Falana, Senior Advocate of Nigeria and prominent human rights lawyer, has called for the immediate transfer of N32.7 billion and $445,000, recovered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, to the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA). His call underscores the need to redirect these funds to alleviate the suffering of millions of Nigerians trapped in multidimensional poverty.
In a public statement issued on Sunday, Falana urged the EFCC to channel the recovered funds to NSIPA for its intended purposes, which are critical for sustaining vital social intervention programs aimed at supporting Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations. “We commend the EFCC and urge it to intensify efforts to recover the outstanding N20 billion still unaccounted for. But more importantly, the recovered N32.7 billion and $445,000 should be transferred to the National Social Investment Programme Agency to help alleviate the hardship faced by over 133 million multi-dimensionally poor Nigerians,” Falana stated.
Falana’s plea comes in the wake of President Bola Tinubu’s approval in January 2025 of N32.7 billion for NSIPA to implement social programs such as school feeding, N-Power, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), and the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP). These initiatives, established in 2016, target vulnerable groups including children, youth, and women. Since its inception, NSIPA has supported over 4 million beneficiaries. Programs like N-Power provide N30,000 monthly stipends to young Nigerians aged 18–35, and GEEP offers interest-free loans of N10,000 to N100,000 to traders and artisans.
The recovered N32.7 billion presents a significant opportunity to boost Nigeria’s social investment initiatives, particularly NSIPA’s programs, including the School Feeding Programme and CCT schemes. The school feeding programme, under the Buhari administration, consumed N200.9 billion and was credited with increasing school attendance, providing meals to 9.9 million children daily across 54,000 schools in 2022. Redirecting the recovered funds could expand or reinstate these initiatives, especially in light of the rising humanitarian needs caused by flooding, insurgency, and economic instability.
Additionally, the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programme, which has already supported over 2 million households, helps improve nutrition and household consumption. Redirecting the N32.7 billion could further enhance the impact of these initiatives, providing a lifeline to millions in need.
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has also urged both federal and state governments to increase their contributions to NSIPA, especially in light of rising government revenues. The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) has already disbursed N2.001 trillion in July 2025 from a gross total of N3.836 trillion, indicating a robust revenue stream. However, despite these increases, the 2024 budget allocated only N100 billion to NSIPA, a small fraction of the N28.7 trillion national budget. Critics argue that this allocation is insufficient to address the growing scale of poverty in the country.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), 133 million Nigerians—approximately 63% of the population—live in multidimensional poverty. These individuals are deprived of basic services such as education, healthcare, and adequate living conditions, significantly limiting their opportunities for a better quality of life.
In response to this escalating crisis, the Nigerian government has launched several social safety net programs. Notably, the National Social Safety Nets Project (NSIPA) has provided cash transfers to over 4.4 million households. These households received N25,000 to support their families, an initiative that, while commendable, is still far from sufficient given the scale of the poverty issue. Despite these efforts, the vast majority of the population continues to live in poverty, unable to meet their basic needs.
Falana has also criticized the government’s spending priorities, noting that while over N39 billion is being spent on the renovation of the International Conference Centre in Abuja, only a fraction of that—around N32.7 billion—is allocated to address the needs of Nigeria’s poor. This discrepancy underscores the need for a shift in priorities, focusing on alleviating the hardships faced by millions of Nigerians.
These findings reflect a growing consensus that more robust, targeted, and sustained efforts are needed to combat Nigeria’s poverty crisis. Addressing this issue requires a comprehensive approach that prioritizes the welfare of the most vulnerable in society, ensuring they have access to the essential services that will enable them to break free from the cycle of poverty.
Further complicating the situation, the suspension of NSIPA’s operations in early 2024, following allegations of fraud, disrupted critical aid to millions of vulnerable Nigerians. This suspension exacerbated an already dire situation, increasing hunger and economic hardship across the nation. The ongoing challenges of poverty and inequality require immediate and sustained attention, and Falana’s call to redirect resources effectively is a crucial step toward addressing these systemic issues.
In addition, the economic context adds complexity to Nigeria’s efforts to invest in social protection. The World Bank’s 2024 report highlights that Nigeria’s fiscal deficit reached 3.64% of GDP in 2021, largely due to borrowing, with the country securing a $2.2 trillion loan in 2024 to finance the budget. This makes it even more crucial for the government to ensure robust oversight and efficient fund allocation to guarantee that resources are effectively used to reduce poverty and improve the well-being of Nigerians.
The recovered funds could significantly bolster NSIPA’s programs. The school feeding programme, for example, has been instrumental in increasing school attendance, feeding 9.9 million children daily. Similarly, the Conditional Cash Transfer program has already supported over 2 million households. Redirecting the N32.7 billion could reinstate or expand these initiatives, particularly in light of rising humanitarian needs due to flooding, insurgency, and economic decline.
Despite Nigeria’s growing revenue streams, which include taxes and petroleum profits, the allocation for NSIPA in the 2024 budget stood at only N100 billion—far too low to address the scale of poverty in the country. Additionally, ongoing corruption scandals and mismanagement of funds meant for vulnerable Nigerians have further undermined public trust in government initiatives. Investigations by the EFCC into mismanagement involving former ministers, including Sadiya Umar-Farouq and Betta Edu, have exposed systemic issues in the allocation of funds meant for Nigeria’s most vulnerable populations.
Falana emphasizes the urgency of addressing Nigeria’s growing poverty crisis. The funds could provide much-needed relief, enabling NSIPA to expand its programs and offer a lifeline to millions of Nigerians suffering from hunger, unemployment, and economic hardship.