Abuja: The Nigerian Senate has advanced a landmark bill aimed at tackling extreme poverty, approving its second reading on Thursday.
Sponsored by Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (APC–Abia), the proposed legislation seeks to establish a nationwide Social Welfare Service under the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, designed to deliver food aid, cash transfers, education stipends, and housing subsidies to vulnerable citizens across all 36 states and the FCT.
Leading the debate, Kalu said the bill sought to confront one of the most serious national challenges: extreme poverty.
Despite the various interventions over the years, millions of Nigerians still lack access to necessities.
“What is missing is a centralised, coordinated, and data-driven institution to manage social welfare programs. This bill provides precisely that.
“It proposes the establishment of a social welfare service as a department under the ministry responsible for humanitarian affairs, with branches in all the 36 states and the FCT.
“To ensure that social protection programmes reach every community—beyond the typical top-down approach”.
He noted that the service would design and manage crucial welfare programmes, including food and cash transfers, education stipends, financial aid, and housing subsidies for marginal farmers.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau, who presided over plenary, thereafter, referred the bill to the Committee on Establishment and Public Services for further legislative action and report back within four weeks.
