Tinubu approves N17bn for projects across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a community-based national social action fund task force to drive grassroots development across all 8,804 wards in Nigeria, with N17 billion earmarked for its implementation.

Ado Bako, spokesperson for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

He said the initiative would deploy community-driven interventions tailored to local needs, with each ward engaging a verified community-based entity, organisation, or association to execute priority projects.

According to Mr Bako, the approval builds on earlier reforms, including the creation of the Social Action Fund in September 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform approved in January 2026, which was designed to simplify access for community organisations seeking to deliver projects of up to N50 million.

He said the project timeline commenced on March 1, with delivery expected by December, and that a Programme Management Unit would be domiciled at the ministry’s Sector-Wide Approach Coordination Office to oversee execution.

The finance ministry and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation have been directed to release the N17 billion into a ring-fenced special intervention account to support implementation, monitoring, communication, and accountability.

Mr Bako said the task force would be chaired by the ministers of finance and humanitarian affairs, alongside the permanent secretary at the health ministry, the directors-general of the Bureau of Public Procurement and the Budget Office of the Federation, the chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and a national coordinator.

Health Minister Muhammad Pate described the initiative as a shift toward locally driven service delivery, noting that interventions may include community nutrition support, the provision of essential health commodities such as micronutrients and therapeutic foods, and minor infrastructure improvements in schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems.

In a related development, the president also approved the upgrade of the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Training Centre in Zaria to the National Institute of Public Health and Infectious Diseases.

The federal government said the upgrade, consistent with the Renewed Hope Agenda, would strengthen Nigeria’s capacity for disease surveillance, emergency preparedness, and rapid response, positioning the institute as a multidisciplinary hub for public health training, research, and workforce development.