Atiku Questions Tinubu Over ₦600bn Cash Transfers, Demands Audit

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu’s administration to explain conflicting figures on its expanded cash-transfer programme and account for more than ₦600 billion reportedly disbursed to vulnerable Nigerians.

Atiku, the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, raised the concerns in a statement issued Thursday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu.

The former vice president said the Presidency announced on 16th of July 2026 that the programme had reached 15 million vulnerable households, repeating the figure on 2nd of August.

However, Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Minister Bernard Doro said Wednesday that more than ₦600 billion had been disbursed to slightly over 10 million households since Tinubu took office.

“So where did five million households go? These are not opposition figures.

"They are Tinubu’s figures contradicting Tinubu’s figures,” Atiku said.

He also questioned the arithmetic behind the reported spending, saying qualifying households were expected to receive ₦25,000 monthly for three months.

“If 10 million households received the full payment, that would be about ₦750 billion.

"If 15 million households did, it would exceed ₦1.1 trillion.

"Yet government says it spent just over N600 billion,” he said.

Atiku asked the Federal Government to publish verified beneficiary records, payment tranches, state-by-state distribution figures, failed transactions and reversals.

“If ₦600 billion truly moved, then government must show the trail: unique verified households, payment tranches, state-by-state distribution, failed transactions, reversals and an independent audit,” he said.

He also criticised the government’s economic policies, arguing that reducing fuel and transportation costs would do more to ease poverty than expanding cash transfers.

The government has defended its social intervention programmes as measures designed to cushion vulnerable Nigerians from the effects of economic reforms and the rising cost of living.