The Federal Government has disclosed that more than 12.3 million Nigerians have now linked their National Identification Numbers (NIN) to the National Social Register (NSR) as authorities push to improve transparency, accountability and accuracy in the delivery of social intervention programmes across the country.
The update was provided by the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) during a high-level stakeholder engagement with local government chairmen held on Thursday in Abuja.
The event, themed “Strengthening Local Government Leadership for Inclusive Development and Social Protection Delivery,” brought together officials from the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), development partners, civil society organisations and other stakeholders involved in social protection programmes.
Speaking at the meeting, the National Coordinator of NASSCO, Dr. Funmi Olotu, said the integration of NIN into the National Social Register was part of broader reforms aimed at improving data credibility and ensuring government support reached verified beneficiaries without duplication.
According to her, the Federal Government is strengthening the country’s social protection architecture in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
She explained that the National Social Register currently serves as a national database for identifying poor and vulnerable Nigerians eligible for government intervention programmes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“At the centre of this effort is the National Social Register, a national platform designed to identify and support poor and vulnerable households across the country,” Olotu said.
She disclosed that the register currently contains data for more than 20 million households and over 77 million individuals nationwide.
Giving further updates on the ongoing NIN integration process, Olotu revealed that large-scale data updates had already been completed across communities and local governments nationwide.
“Across 37 states and 774 Local Government Areas, covering 8,756 wards and 217,777 communities, over 9.7 million household records have been updated, with 12.3 million NINs captured and 11.5 million successfully validated,” she stated.
She noted that the integration process was designed to eliminate duplicate entries, improve verification standards and increase public confidence in government-led social investment programmes.
“To strengthen this foundation, we are integrating the National Identification Number into the Register. This reform enhances data integrity, eliminates duplication, and ensures that interventions reach the right people with precision and credibility,” Olotu added.
She also stressed the importance of local government authorities in the implementation process, describing them as key drivers of last-mile delivery because of their closeness to grassroots communities.
“Local Governments are not merely administrative structures, but institutions of service delivery, closest to the people and essential to translating policy into real outcomes in citizens’ lives,” she said.
Olotu urged council chairmen across the country to fully support the NIN integration exercise and take ownership of implementation efforts within their respective communities.
“You are not just stakeholders in this process. You are the drivers of execution. You are closest to the communities, you understand the realities on the ground, and you are uniquely positioned to ensure effective implementation of the NIN integration process,” she added.
Also speaking during the engagement, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Olubunmi Olusanya, described the National Social Register as one of the most important tools supporting Nigeria’s poverty reduction and humanitarian response framework.
According to him, the ministry is currently driving a “One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System” aimed at harmonising intervention programmes and improving coordination among government agencies and partners.
“The National Social Register remains a central pillar of this architecture. It provides a credible and verifiable basis for identifying poor and vulnerable households,” Olusanya said.
He stated that integrating NIN into the register would improve planning, data accuracy and programme delivery while reducing the risk of duplication in government interventions.
Olusanya warned that millions of vulnerable Nigerians could eventually be excluded from social intervention programmes if they failed to complete their NIN integration.
“Without full NIN integration, many of them risk being excluded or unable to benefit from government interventions,” he said.
The permanent secretary also emphasised the role of local governments in maintaining the credibility of the process and ensuring effective delivery of support to beneficiaries nationwide.
“Local Governments are not peripheral to this process, they are central to its success. Indeed, they represent the first line of credibility, verification, and last-mile delivery,” he stated.
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