FG targets March 2026 to integrate NIN into Nigeria’s social register

The Federal Government has announced plans to complete the full registration and integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into the National Social Register (NSR) by March 2026. The National Programme Manager of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Dr. Funmi Olotu, disclosed this at the Stakeholder Engagement Conference on Advancing Social Protection […]

The Federal Government has announced plans to complete the full registration and integration of the National Identification Number (NIN) into the National Social Register (NSR) by March 2026.

The National Programme Manager of the National Social Safety Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), Dr. Funmi Olotu, disclosed this at the Stakeholder Engagement Conference on Advancing Social Protection through the NSR held in Lagos.

According to Olotu, the integration exercise which began in April 2025, has recorded unprecedented progress.

She explained that as of 31 August, 2025, more than 7.6 million household records had been updated nationwide, with 9.5 million NINs reported, out of which 8.3 million have been successfully validated by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

“By March 2026, we aim to achieve full verification and NIN integration for every household in the Register, closing the gaps, eliminating duplication, and ensuring that every naira spent delivers impact where it matters most.

 

“But we cannot do this alone. This is a remarkable breakthrough, considering that previous national efforts to integrate NINs into the Social Register had struggled to achieve even 5% success. In just four months, we have now reached a significant milestone that demonstrates how far we have come in strengthening Nigeria’s social protection systems through technology and data,” she said.

 

She assured that the NSR is no longer just a static database but a “living instrument of hope,” designed to ensure that government support reaches households in need.

 

Nasarawa state governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to poverty reduction through the National Social Register (NSR).

 

He stressed that social protection remains a shared responsibility of both government and the private sector.

 

Sule drew from personal experience in private enterprise and public service. He recalled his time as Managing Director of African Petroleum Plc and later Group Managing Director of Petroleum Products Marketing Company, noting how interventions by corporate leaders such as Tony Elumelu, and partnerships involving the Dangote and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations, demonstrated the power of collective responsibility in tackling poverty.