National Social Register Key to Social Protection, NSIPA Boss Prof Lawal
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…Insists no Nigerian Should Be Left Behind in Renewed Hope Agenda
The National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Associate Professor Badamasi Lawal, has emphasized that the National Social Register (NSR) remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s social protection system, stressing that no citizen should be excluded from its benefits.
Speaking at a one-day stakeholder engagement meeting convened by the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, Prof. Lawal described the NSR as the most critical tool for ensuring transparency, inclusivity and accountability in the delivery of social protection interventions.
According to a statement signed by Attari M. Hope, Head, Information and Public Relations, the event, which held under the theme “Advancing Social Protection through the National Social Register (NSR)”, brought together partners, agencies and civil society groups in a bid to strengthen collaboration for social investment programmes.
In his opening remarks, the NSIPA boss explained that the NSR was not merely a database but a living, dynamic national asset that underpins evidence-based planning, strategic targeting and effective service delivery. According to him, its purpose is to guarantee that the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians are not left out of government interventions.
He added that NSIPA’s role in coordinating, implementing and monitoring social investment programmes is fully aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places education, health and social protection at the forefront of governance priorities.
Prof. Lawal noted that the National Social Register plays a central role in ensuring targeted assistance to the most vulnerable, improving coordination across programmes and agencies, enabling timely emergency response, while also promoting equity, social cohesion and inclusivity.
He pointed out that recent achievements under the NSR framework, particularly in facilitating cash transfers through the National Cash Transfer Office of NSIPA, have further demonstrated its impact on lives across the country.
The NSIPA chief extended gratitude to Nigeria’s development partners, including the World Bank Country Director, Mr. Mathew, and his team—Dr. Ubah and Mr. Mahesh—as well as United Nations agencies such as UNICEF, WFP and ILO. He equally acknowledged federal ministries, civil society organizations and other collaborators for their financial, technical, material and advocacy support.
Prof. Lawal also praised the leadership of NASSCO under Dr. Olufunmi Olotu for its steadfast dedication to strengthening Nigeria’s social protection framework.
He urged stakeholders to view the National Social Register as a continuously updated, secured and institutionalized system that must remain at the heart of all social interventions. He called for renewed collaboration and commitment to put citizens at the center of social protection strategies, thereby ensuring that every Nigerian enjoys dignity, opportunity and hope.
Earlier in her welcome address, the National Programme Manager of NASSCO, Dr. Funmi Olotu, highlighted that under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, a decisive step has been taken to ensure that every social intervention is routed through the National Social Register to promote transparency, accountability and fairness.
She disclosed that the Register currently covers more than 19 million households and over 70 million individuals, making it one of the largest social protection databases in the world. Dr. Olotu further revealed that her office has integrated the NSR with the National Identification Number (NIN), a move that, she explained, has strengthened the Register’s integrity and ensured its reliability, inclusivity and resilience.
Dr. Olotu urged stakeholders to remain actively engaged in ensuring that the National Social Register continues to deliver results that improve the lives of beneficiaries and advance the Renewed Hope Agenda of the President.
