The National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO) disclosed that 15,653,374 individuals had their NINs integrated into the register as of October 2026. The office also reported that 13,330,387 unique households had undergone updates across 771 local government areas in 37 states.

According to the figures released by NASSCO, the National Social Register contained 21,114,531 households and 83,162,654 individuals during the reporting period. Of the registered households, 63.13 per cent had been updated, leaving approximately 7.78 million yet to be covered by the reported exercise.

The data further showed that 11,347,989 households had at least one member whose valid NIN was integrated into the register. This represents about 53.74 per cent of all households listed.

The figures highlight the difference between updating household records and integrating identification numbers. While a household record may have been updated, that does not necessarily mean every member has a verified NIN linked to the register.

Improving the quality of these records is expected to support more reliable beneficiary identification, strengthen transparency and help reduce the risk of duplicate or inaccurate entries in social protection programmes.

A breakdown of the reported household-update coverage showed considerable differences among states. Ebonyi recorded the highest rate at 88.08 per cent, followed by Enugu at 86.62 per cent and Kano at 86.18 per cent.

Other states with relatively high coverage included Kogi at 80.61 per cent, Ekiti at 80.25 per cent, Zamfara at 78.74 per cent and Bauchi at 78.16 per cent.

Delta State recorded the lowest reported coverage at 25.31 per cent, followed by Lagos at 35.36 per cent and Borno at 38.18 per cent. Sokoto and Oyo recorded 41.61 per cent and 41.28 per cent, respectively.

The difference between Ebonyi, the highest-ranked state, and Delta, the lowest, stood at 62.77 percentage points, illustrating the uneven progress in household record updates across the country.

The latest figures come amid broader concerns about the reach and effectiveness of government assistance to poor and vulnerable Nigerians.

In its October 2026 Nigeria Development Update, the World Bank reported that the Federal Government had disbursed ₦658.9 billion in direct cash transfers to 10.46 million poor and vulnerable households as of September 2026.

The bank acknowledged the reported disbursements but urged the government to expand coverage, improve the adequacy of payments and ensure that beneficiaries receive support more consistently.

It also recommended moving towards a sustainable social protection system supported by dedicated funding at both federal and state levels, rather than relying mainly on emergency interventions.

The continued integration of NINs into the National Social Register is part of the wider effort to improve the information used to identify vulnerable households. However, the scale of the programme’s impact will also depend on accurate records, effective targeting, adequate payments and reliable delivery of assistance.

Reporting by TalkNaija Media