Conditional Cash Transfer: FG to Facilitate the use of mobile phones

The Federal Government is set to facilitate the use of mobile phones of Nigerians in the transfer of the 15 million households’ conditional cash transfer program.

This was disclosed in the “quick win” recommendations submitted to the President by the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee chaired by Taiwo Oyedele.

Recall last week that the Presidency unveiled the plan to distribute N75,000 cash transfer to 15 million households as part of its efforts to ameliorate the effect of the removal of subsidy.

The president made this announcement in Abuja, stating that the objective is to lift as many families as possible out of poverty.

Subsequently, the Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms Committee, led by Taiwo Oyedele, has recommended that the government engage in the use of citizens’ mobile phones to validate and ease the transfer of funds.

While it is not explicitly stipulated how this process will be accomplished, the report states that a national portal will also be designed to track spending by the federal, state, and local governments.

Writing on his X (Twitter), Taiwo Oyedele said,

• “The key recommendations include but are not limited to facilitating the use of mobile phones for conditional cash transfers and introducing a spending framework for subsidy removal and forex reform windfall, including a national portal to track spending by FG, states, and local governments.”

In addition, the federal government is said to suspend multiple taxation, particularly in the informal sector, impeding the growth of small businesses in the country.

• “Suspension of multiple taxes which place burdens on the poor and small businesses and compensate with windfalls revenue of certain agencies.
• “Increase personal income tax exempt threshold and personal relief allowance,” the statement reads in part