The ADC presidential candidate raises concerns over conflicting government figures on beneficiaries of the expanded social transfer programme

ADC presidential candidate and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday, August 27, 2026, questioned the Federal Government over the reported ₦600bn cash transfer programme to vulnerable Nigerian households, demanding clarification over conflicting figures released by the Presidency and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

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Atiku raised the concerns in a statement issued by his media team, focusing on what he described as inconsistencies in official claims about the number of households that had benefited from the expanded programme.

The former Vice President’s intervention followed two separate statements from the Presidency in July and August claiming that the programme had reached 15 million vulnerable households.

However, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Bernard Doro reportedly told Nigerians on Wednesday, August 26, that the government had reached only “slightly over 10 million households”.

The difference of almost five million households has prompted questions about the scale of the programme and the basis for the figures being presented by different arms of the Federal Government.

Atiku questioned the whereabouts of the beneficiaries reportedly covered by the ₦600bn programme and called for greater transparency over the implementation of the initiative.

The former Vice President argued that the conflicting figures required a clear explanation, particularly given the substantial amount of public funds reportedly committed to the social intervention.

The programme forms part of the Tinubu administration’s broader social protection measures aimed at cushioning the impact of economic reforms and rising living costs on vulnerable Nigerians.

The Federal Government has repeatedly defended its cash transfer initiatives as a means of providing direct financial support to poor and vulnerable households while strengthening the country’s social safety net.

However, the scale and verification of beneficiaries have remained sensitive issues, with transparency, targeting and accountability central to public discussions around government intervention programmes.

The latest controversy centres on whether the 15 million households previously announced by the Presidency represent beneficiaries who had actually received payments, or whether the figure referred to households identified or enrolled under the programme.

Doro’s latest statement appears to place the number of households reached at slightly above 10 million, creating a significant discrepancy that the government will now be expected to clarify.

For Atiku, the conflicting figures raise broader questions about the administration’s management of public resources and the reliability of its reporting on social intervention programmes.

The ADC candidate has repeatedly criticised aspects of the Tinubu administration’s economic policies and implementation of its reform programmes, arguing that Nigerians require greater accountability over public spending.

The latest intervention is also likely to feed into the intensifying political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections, with Atiku expected to make economic management and the welfare of Nigerians key elements of his campaign.

The government has yet to publicly respond to Atiku’s latest demand for clarification over the conflicting beneficiary figures.

A detailed reconciliation of the figures, including the number of households enrolled, verified, paid and reached, would help establish whether the difference reflects changes in programme coverage, reporting periods or inconsistencies in official communication.

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Until such clarification is provided, the conflicting claims are likely to remain a point of political and public scrutiny over the management of the reported ₦600bn intervention.