By Gwen Chiamaka Ifeson
The Social Welfare Service Bill, 2025 sponsored by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, today scaled second reading at the Senate, marking a major step toward establishing a fair, transparent and data-driven national support system for vulnerable Nigerians.
According to Senator Kalu, the Bill seeks to overhaul the country’s social protection framework by creating a new National Social Protection structure with welfare branches in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He explained that the decentralised model is designed to end over-centralisation and deliver assistance directly to communities where it is most needed.
The proposed framework provides a wide range of interventions, including food and cash transfers, education stipends, housing support, subsidies for marginal farmers, credit schemes, and specialised assistance for the elderly and persons with disabilities.
A key feature of the Bill is the establishment of Safety Centres across the country to register beneficiaries, distribute support, prevent fraud and monitor long-term outcomes. Senator Kalu stressed that strict eligibility criteria would be enforced to ensure that only genuinely vulnerable Nigerians benefit, eliminating political influence and preventing duplication.
Earlier in the day, Senator Kalu also participated in the meeting of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and Other Financial Institutions, chaired by Senator Tokunbo Abiru. The session had in attendance the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, where discussions centred on ongoing reforms in the financial sector.
Senator Kalu described the progress of the Social Welfare Service Bill as a reaffirmation of the Senate’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s social safety net and protecting the nation’s most vulnerable citizens.