World Bank loan to be used to pay N8,000 to 12 million families for six months, says Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu has indicated that his administration will pay N8,000 to 12 million Nigerian families for six months to cushion the effects of petrol subsidy removal.

Tinubu had announced the removal of subsidy on petroleum products during his inaugural presidential on May 29 causing the prices of petroleum products to jump over 200% and an increase in food prices and transportation.

Amid threats by labour unions to down tools over the rising cost of living, Tinubu maintained that the government has plans to address citizen’s needs.

On Thursday, Tinubu wrote to the Senate seeking the approval of the Senate for $8OO million palliative loan from the World Bank.

“You may also wish to know that the purpose of the facility is to expand coverage of shock-responsive safety net supports for all and vulnerable Nigerians and the cost of meeting basic needs,” Tinubu said in a letter to the Senate.

Tinubu explained that “under the conditional cash transfer window of the programme, the federal government of Nigeria will transfer the sum of 8000 a month to 12 million poor and low-income households for a period of six months with a multiplying effect on about 60 million individuals.”

The World Bank facility, Tinubu said, would be utilised to scale up the National Social Safety Net Programme.

“In order to guarantee the credibility of the process, digital transfers will be made directly to beneficiaries accounts and mobile wallets,” Tinubu said.

“It is expected that the programme will stimulate economic activities in the informal sector and improve nutrition, health, and education outcomes for beneficial households.

“Giving the above, I wish to invite the senate to kindly grant approvals for additional loan facilities USD800milliom to be secured from world bank for the national social safety net programme.”

Tinubu on Wednesday asked the House of Representatives to amend the 2022 Supplementary Appropriations Act to provide N500 billion to fund palliative measures against the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

Tinubu is seeking to extract N500 billion from the N819,536,937,813 supplementary budget.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari introduced the supplementary budget in 2022 for capital projects due to the impact of the floods on farmlands and road infrastructure.

The life span of the budget has since been extended till 31 December.

“Thus, the sum of N500 billion has been extracted from the 2022 supplementary budget of N819 billion for the provision of palliative. I hope the House will consider this request expeditiously,” Tinubu said.