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NASSCO ADVOCATES STATE SOCIAL REGISTER UTILIZATION, COMMENDS ONDO’S COMMITMENT TO SR EXPANSION
The Head of the National Social Registry (NSR), Alhaji Dikko Mohammed Bala, has called on the Ondo state government to channel social protection interventions through the Social Register, noting that such a move would encourage development partners and donor agencies to adopt the same approach.
Alh. Bala made the call during a courtesy visit to the Ondo State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, where he met with the Permanent Secretary and management team of the ministry.
The NSR head appreciated the state government for its support and commitment to the expansion of the Single Register and explained that the Federal Government has strengthened the credibility of the register through the integration of National Identification Numbers (NINs) and geotagging of households.
According to him, over 10 million households nationwide have already been updated through the ongoing NIN integration exercise in collaboration with SOCUs.
“Each individual on the National Social Register is now linked with a National Identification Number, while households are geotagged. This gives the register greater credibility and addresses concerns about integrity and verification,” he stated.
He noted that the National Social Register, which originated from state-level community-based targeting appreciated the state government for its support and commitment to the expansion of the Single Register and processes, currently contains data on more than 20 million households across the country.
He stressed the need for state governments to provide adequate support for SOCUs through the provision of working tools and dedicated budgetary allocations.
“We are advocating that state governments support SOCUs with working tools and, particularly, the creation of budget lines to strengthen SOCUs at the state level. We want the register to be seen first as a state infrastructure and not merely a national infrastructure,” he said. “There is need for states to also strengthen the SOCUs to ensure the sustainability, credibility, and effective utilization of the National Social Register”, he added.
The NASSCO official disclosed that the agency is also engaging the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) on the institutionalisation of Community-Based Targeting Teams (CBTTs) at the local government level to further strengthen the sustainability of the register.
Responding, the Permanent Secretary of the Ondo State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Reverend Samuel Oluwanisomo Ogunlade, commended NASSCO for its consistent support to the State Operations Coordinating Unit in Ondo State.
He recalled that through NASSCO’s support, the state’s register expanded significantly from about 25,000 households to over 200,000 households.
The Permanent Secretary also expressed satisfaction with the NIN integration initiative, describing it as a critical step toward enhancing the validity and credibility of the register.
He assured the NASSCO official of the state’s continued support, revealing that SOCU already has a dedicated budget line in Ondo State.
“SOCU in Ondo State has a budget line, and we will ensure that the allocation is increased in the 2027 budget in view of the expansion of its activities,” he said.
He further pledged collaboration with local government authorities to facilitate the institutionalisation of SOCU structures at the grassroots level.
Earlier, the Ondo State Coordinator of SOCU, Olaoluwa Bankole Esq., welcomed the NSR Head and appreciated the agency for its prompt support and partnership over the years.
He highlighted the ongoing collaboration between the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Ondo SOCU, aimed at linking vulnerable households captured on the Social Register to the state’s health insurance programme.
According to him, the initiative is designed to ensure that poor and underserved residents across all 208 wards of the state can access healthcare services through the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund.
In his remarks, the National Official reiterated the importance of diligent data collection and complete household enumeration, urging officers at both state and local government levels to ensure that no household member is left out during registration exercises.
“We should not disenfranchise any family by registering only five out of nine household members. This is service to humanity,” he said.
He also reaffirmed NASSCO’s commitment to institutionalising Community-Based Targeting, SOCUs, and the National Social Register to guarantee sustainability, especially in light of the Federal Government’s directive that social intervention programmes should be implemented through the NSR.
Alh. Bala noted that the register has evolved beyond income-based assessments and now supports adaptive social protection initiatives that address multidimensional poverty.
Also speaking, the Head of Operations of Ondo SOCU, Mr. Olusesan Kumuyi, called for measures to encourage enumerators to ensure comprehensive household registration.
He further drew attention to rising security concerns and increasing transportation costs, urging relevant authorities to provide support that would enhance field operations and improve service delivery.
According to a statement made public by the Commutation Officer, Folasade Oladehinde, the visit reinforced the growing collaboration between NASSCO and Ondo State in strengthening social protection systems and ensuring that vulnerable households are effectively captured and connected to government interventions.
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