Embargo on NSIPA account lifted

No fewer than five million households have received N493billion disbursed by the Federal Government as part of its social protection measures.

Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Yusuf Tanko Sununu, stated this yesterday.

He, however, did not indicate the period during which the cash was made available.

He said the ministry has a budget of over N500 billion captured under the service-wide vote for the National and Social Investment Programme.

The fund is expected to be deployed for the implementation of the National Homegrown School Feeding Programme, Conditional Cash Transfer, N-Power training and FarmerMoni, the minister said.

“Already, over five million families, which represent almost 75 million households, have been reached through the rapid response register.

“And over N493 billion has been disbursed,” he said.

Sununu spoke in Abuja at a briefing on ‘sustainable response to address the humanitarian gap arising from the partial suspension of World Food Programme (WFP) operations in the Northeast and Northwest’.

The minister said the funds are disbursed based on the national social register and reflect the report of the multidimensional poverty index in Nigeria.

Sununu said: “The report says that 65 per cent of vulnerable or poor people are in the northern part of the country, while 35 per cent are in the southern part.

“If you look at the urban-rural ratio, it also goes 70-30 per cent.

“Seventy per cent are in the rural areas, while 30 per cent are in the urban areas.

“So the beneficiaries in the northern part of the country are almost 71 per cent, while in the southern part, it’s 29 per cent.

“This is just reflecting the data that we are working with.”

He spoke of a plan to give N300,000 to 21,000 smallholder farmers across the country through the Government Enterprises and Empowerment Programme (GEEP).

GEEP will be a short-to-long-term loan with no collateral and interest-free.

The aim, he said, is to support farmers who may have suffered losses from flooding and other factors.

“The account of NSIPA was suspended. But I’m glad to say that Mr. President has directed that the account should be open. And the account has been opened.

“The GEEP will be funded with part of that money that is returned to the account of the ministry.

“And Mr. President has always given a go-ahead, considering the emergencies in the country, that money should quickly be returned to the account of the NSIPA.

“Added to the release that we are expecting for 2025, I think we are good to go,” he said.

The minister also unveiled plans for the rollout of the Grant for Vulnerable Groups (GVG).

In the bid to accelerate the process, the ministry has put modalities in place.

He said: “We employed about 53 companies that will help us in updating the NIN registration for each of those in our national register who don’t have the account number, NIN and BVN.

“The companies have already mobilised to reach out to numerous vulnerable groups. A lot of IDPs are in the National Social Register.”

Sununu said the Tinubu Administration has designed a strategic plan for homegrown solutions to a myriad of humanitarian challenges.

He said the ministry will ensure transparency and accountability and ensure proper multi-level response coordination.

“Mr. President is focusing on the fact that we must redeem the image of the ministry and institute the principle of accountability and transparency.

“We had to develop a memo to the Federal Executive Council, which has got the approval of the Council, to have the National Council on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

“This will allow us to develop a programme that is not federal, but national.”

The position of Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation is vacant once again because of the election of the Minister, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Yilwatda had replaced Dr. Betta Edu, who was suspended to allow for the investigation of allegations of misappropriation.

Nigeria’s D’Tigress have once again etched their name into the history books, emerging as champions of the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket in Côte d’Ivoire after a commanding 78-64 victory over Mali in Sunday’s final.
Led by head coach Rena Wakama, the Nigerian side delivered a stellar performance at the Palais des Sports de Treichville in Abidjan to secure their fifth straight continental crown — a feat no other nation has achieved in the tournament’s history.

The win also guarantees D’Tigress an automatic berth at the 2026 FIBA Women’s World Cup in Berlin, Germany.
Having edged past a tough Senegalese team in a dramatic semi-final, where they rallied in the fourth quarter to secure a hard-fought win, D’Tigress showed a different level of composure and dominance in the final against Mali.

Mali came out strong, finishing the first quarter with a 26-21 lead. But Nigeria responded swiftly, leveling the game 41-41 by halftime.

The third quarter saw D’Tigress turn on the style, as they pulled ahead 61-56. By the final quarter, the Nigerian side tightened their defense and restricted Mali to just eight points, cruising to a 14-point triumph.

With this latest victory, Nigeria has now lifted the Women’s Afrobasket trophy seven times in total — 2003, 2005, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025 — and remain unbeaten in the competition for a decade. The team’s last loss in the tournament dates back to October 2, 2015, against hosts Cameroon.

This fifth consecutive title reaffirms D’Tigress’ status as the undisputed queens of African women’s basketball.

President Bola Tinubu has bestowed the national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger, on the Super Falcons and the entire technical crew.

He also allocated three-bedroom apartments in Abuja to each of the players and the technical crew at the Renewed Hope Estate.

The President also directed the cash award of the naira equivalent of $100,000 each of the 24 players and $50,000 to each of the 11-man technical crew.

This came during a reception in honour of the players and the coaching crew at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said, “I hereby conferred on the players, the 11 man technical team with national honours of the Officer of the Order of the Niger.

“Additionally, I have I directed the allocation of three bedroom apartments in the Renewed Hope Housing Scheme.

“Then there is the cash award of the naira equivalent of $100,000 US dollars each 24 players and the naira equivalent of $50,000 to the 11-man technical crew.”

The President also said he didn’t want to watch the WAFCON final because he didn’t want to have high blood pressure.

Earlier, the President and the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, received the Super Falcons at the Presidential Villa on Monday, following their record victory at the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco on Saturday.

The coaster buses conveying the players and coaching crew arrived at the forecourt of the Aso Rock shortly before 04:36 p.m. local time.

The Super Falcons, 10-time African champions after their 3-2 comeback over the Atlas Lionesses Morocco, were received by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, upon their arrival.

In a post-match video call on Saturday night, President Tinubu praised captain and tournament MVP Rasheedat Ajibade.

He also praised Nigeria’s rally from a 2-0 half-time deficit to claim the WAFCON title.

Over the past decade, the Super Falcons have won four Women’s Africa Cup of Nations titles in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2024, bringing their total to 10