If AI can match you with a date, track your Spotify moods, and turn your selfies into oil paintings… why can’t it also help Nigeria solve poverty?
That’s the question Nigeria’s federal government is trying to answer with its newest poverty-reduction push. For the first time, artificial intelligence, satellite images, and telecom data are being used to map out the lives of urban poor Nigerians to official systems.
According to Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, the new technology is helping the government expand the National Social Register, which now includes 19.7 million Nigerians, up from 13 million just a few months ago.
A High-Tech Search for the Poor
During a recent interview on Arise News, Yilwatda explained that President Bola Tinubu ordered an overhaul of the social register to include urban slum dwellers, not just rural communities.
“We used satellite imagery to locate slums, telecom towers to trace phone numbers in those areas, and AI to verify individuals based on access to banking, financial services, and other socioeconomic indicators,” he said.
The goal: identify those who are truly poor, and reach 15 million households, or about 75 million people, with targeted government support.
Who Gets the Money?
One of the key programs riding on the back of this upgraded register is the conditional cash transfer scheme, which provides N75,000 per household. The amount may sound small to city dwellers, but Yilwatda insists it goes a long way in rural settings.
“I know N75,000 might seem insignificant to someone in the city. Federal Govt Deploys AI To Identify Poor Nigerians In Urban Slums, it makes a difference,” he said.
So far, over 75% of food-poor households are reportedly being reached through this initiative. The government is focusing not just on food poverty, but what Yilwatda calls multidimensional poverty, which includes lack of access to education, clean water, healthcare, and financial services.
What Are People Doing With the Money?
A joint study by the World Bank and Nigerian civil society groups offers some early insights:
- 18% of beneficiaries started micro or nano businesses.
- 82% used the cash to improve food security.
- 52% used it to pay school fees.
While the funds are not a full solution, they are being used to stabilize lives, especially in communities hit hardest by inflation, insecurity, and unemployment.
“It’s not their only source of income,” Yilwatda said. “But it’s helping cushion the impact of poverty.”
Can We Trust the Register This Time?
Here’s where it gets tricky.
The National Social Register has a bad reputation. Previous versions were plagued by outdated records, political manipulation, and “ghost households” collecting cash while real families got nothing.
Even with AI in the mix, skepticism remains high. How transparent is the verification process? Will telecom data exclude those without smartphones? And can this digital approach truly replace on-the-ground assessments?
Experts warn that technology alone can’t fix trust. The system still needs independent audits, civil society oversight, and real-time updates.
The Bigger Picture: 42% Still Facing Food Poverty
According to the Minister, 42% of Nigerians are food poor, that’s over 80 million people. By targeting 15 million households with an average size of five, the government hopes to support 75 million people.
But the reality is that poverty isn’t just about food. It’s about broken systems, lack of infrastructure, and policies that rarely last beyond the next election cycle.
Still, this move to digitize poverty tracking and cash support marks a shift toward something more scalable, and potentially more inclusive, if it’s done right.
Tech Is a Tool, Not a Cure
AI won’t end poverty in Nigeria, but it might help government officials stop guessing.
For once, we’re seeing a data-driven approach to social welfare, not just campaign promises or ad-hoc food bags handed out during election season.
The real question now is: will this be sustained? Will the register remain accurate? Will the disbursements continue without drama? And will Nigeria finally treat poverty reduction like infrastructure, not charity? Because 75 million people are depending on it.
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