The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to expand the National Social Register in order to identify and capture more vulnerable households across the country.
The expansion of the register forms part of a broader national reform being implemented through a flagship initiative of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction known as the One Humanitarian–One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS).
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Bernard M. Doro, disclosed this while flagging off the distribution of food and nutrition assistance to vulnerable residents in Plateau State.
According to the minister, the OHOPRS initiative represents a major shift in the country’s approach to addressing poverty and vulnerability.
He explained that the programme is designed to ensure that vulnerable households across Nigeria are properly identified, documented and integrated into a structured social protection system.
“The National Social Register serves as a critical national tool for ensuring that support reaches those who truly need it,” he said.
Doro added that the Federal Government recognises that lasting stability requires a more coordinated and forward-looking approach to humanitarian assistance and poverty reduction.
He stressed that the new reform is built on the principle that humanitarian support should go beyond one-time assistance.
“Humanitarian aid should not end with a one-off distribution. Instead, it should serve as the entry point into structured social protection systems and sustainable pathways out of poverty,” he stated.
The minister explained that under the new system, families receiving humanitarian assistance would be connected to other government programmes aimed at helping them rebuild their livelihoods.
These programmes include conditional cash transfers, livelihood restoration initiatives, skills development programmes, agricultural productivity support, micro-enterprise financing and other economic empowerment schemes.
According to him, the overall goal of the reform is to break the cycle of repeated humanitarian dependency and move vulnerable households towards long-term stability and self-reliance.
“Our objective is clear: to break the cycle of repeated humanitarian dependency and guide vulnerable households towards resilience, stability and long-term prosperity,” the minister said.
