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Human rights lawyer Femi Falana calls for recovered funds to support social investment programmes
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Warns current NSIP allocation of ₦32.7bn is inadequate to tackle poverty
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Urges all tiers of government to prioritise social welfare over token gestures
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, has urged the Federal Government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure recovered public funds are directed into social investment programmes to tackle widespread poverty.
Falana, who chairs the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), criticised the government’s allocation of ₦32.7 billion to the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), describing it as “paltry” given the scale of hardship faced by Nigerians.
The NSIP encompasses the home-grown school feeding programme, N-Power youth empowerment, the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) for small businesses, and conditional cash transfers.
Falana recalled that the EFCC had earlier recovered ₦32.7 billion and $445,000 looted by senior officials of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development. He commended the recovery but urged the funds be transferred to the NSIP Agency to better support vulnerable Nigerians.
“This will go a long way in alleviating the harsh economic conditions of the over 133 million multidimensionally poor people in Nigeria,” Falana said.
The senior advocate also called on the Federal Government, the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and all 774 local governments to jointly fund the NSIP, noting rising revenue inflows from the Federation Account.
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Falana highlighted that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) shared ₦2.001 trillion in July 2025 and ₦1.8 trillion in June, urging leaders to prioritise meaningful social welfare programmes.
“All tiers of government should go beyond tokenism on this very important question of social investment. They should put their money where their mouth is in implementing the policy,” he added.
