Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has said the Federal Government is legally required to provide cash transfers, grants and other social protection programmes to poor and vulnerable Nigerians under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (Establishment) Act, 2023.
According to Punch on Sunday, July 5, 2026, Falana said the implementation of such programmes is a statutory obligation, not an act of charity or political goodwill. He argued that the law mandates the government to establish and sustain poverty reduction and social investment initiatives for disadvantaged citizens.
Falana, who is also Chairman of the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB), warned that the Federal Government could face legal action if it fails to adequately fund poverty reduction programmes in the 2026 fiscal year.
In a statement issued on Sunday, he said discussions on poverty alleviation, prompted by comments from First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, should focus on the government’s legal responsibility to combat poverty rather than private charitable efforts.
“Giving grants to poor and vulnerable people in society is no longer borne out of political interests. It has become the government’s legal obligation to citizens, not acts of charity or generosity,” Falana said.
