The House of Representatives has commenced an investigation into the N1.06 trillion Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) programme, following growing concerns that the initiative has failed to deliver significant benefits to ordinary Nigerians despite its vast funding. The programme, launched in 2021, was designed to mitigate the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by providing targeted interventions for vulnerable individuals, small businesses, and communities across the country.
Lawmakers, during a plenary session on Tuesday, expressed dissatisfaction with the reported outcomes of the NG-CARES initiative, alleging that its reach and effectiveness have been far below expectations. They argued that despite the huge sums committed to the project—sourced jointly from the World Bank, federal, and state governments—the lives of many intended beneficiaries have seen little or no improvement.

The probe was triggered by a motion raised on the House floor, citing credible reports and complaints from citizens that the programme’s implementation has been riddled with inefficiencies, poor monitoring, and a lack of transparency. Lawmakers questioned why the impact on communities and small businesses remained negligible despite the massive funding, noting that the programme was specifically designed to provide quick economic relief during a critical period.
The NG-CARES initiative, implemented through a performance-for-results model, is managed at the state level in partnership with federal agencies. It is aimed at restoring the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable households, improving food security, and supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) affected by the pandemic. However, legislators observed that while some states have recorded modest successes, many have fallen short of targets, raising questions about the equitable distribution and judicious use of funds.
Speaking on the floor, members of the House Committee on Public Accounts and other relevant committees stressed that the investigation would be thorough, with a focus on tracking disbursements, identifying gaps in execution, and holding implementing agencies accountable. The lawmakers vowed to ensure that those responsible for any misuse or mismanagement of the funds face appropriate sanctions.
Several representatives cited examples of local farmers and traders who were supposed to benefit from agricultural inputs, grants, or credit support under the programme but either received inadequate assistance or were excluded entirely. They also highlighted discrepancies in official reports on the number of beneficiaries reached, warning that inflated figures without verifiable data would be treated as evidence of misreporting.
The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, backed the investigation, describing it as necessary to safeguard public trust in government programmes. He emphasised that public funds, especially those targeted at social intervention, must be used in a way that produces tangible, measurable results for citizens. Abbas also tasked relevant committees to work with the Auditor-General of the Federation and other oversight bodies to ensure proper scrutiny.
Some lawmakers linked the poor performance of the NG-CARES initiative to weak inter-agency coordination and a lack of stringent oversight during its rollout. They noted that although the programme’s design involved clearly defined responsibilities between federal and state actors, in practice, the execution has suffered from overlapping mandates and bureaucratic delays.
Civil society organisations and policy analysts have welcomed the House’s decision to probe the initiative, saying it is a crucial step toward improving the effectiveness of future social intervention programmes. They argue that without accountability, large-scale projects like NG-CARES risk becoming vehicles for political patronage rather than genuine tools for poverty alleviation.
The World Bank, which provided a significant portion of the programme’s funding through a concessional loan, has previously commended the concept behind NG-CARES but has also emphasised the importance of robust monitoring to ensure that resources reach the intended targets. Development experts warn that donor-funded projects often lose credibility when transparency lapses are not addressed.
The House has mandated its Committees on Public Accounts, Poverty Alleviation, and Loans and Debt Management to carry out the investigation and submit a report within a stipulated timeframe. The committees are expected to invite officials from the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, the NG-CARES programme coordination office, and state-level implementation units to provide detailed accounts of their activities and expenditures.
Lawmakers further resolved to scrutinise the programme’s performance indicators and to verify claims about the number of households supported, the amount of credit extended to MSMEs, and the scale of agricultural inputs distributed. This, they said, would help establish a clear picture of whether the N1.06 trillion was effectively deployed to cushion the pandemic’s economic shocks.
The probe comes at a time when Nigerians continue to grapple with economic pressures, including high inflation, rising unemployment, and declining purchasing power. Many citizens who were supposed to benefit from NG-CARES interventions have voiced frustration over being left out, deepening public scepticism about the government’s ability to deliver on social welfare promises.
In the coming weeks, the committees will embark on fact-finding missions to various states to assess the situation on the ground. These visits are expected to include consultations with local communities, beneficiaries, and civil society groups to gather first-hand testimonies on the programme’s actual impact. The findings will form the basis for any recommendations on reforms, sanctions, or potential recovery of misapplied funds.
Ultimately, lawmakers insist that the investigation is not only about addressing the shortcomings of NG-CARES but also about setting a precedent for stronger accountability in all government-funded interventions. They stress that lessons learned from this process should guide the design and implementation of future initiatives, ensuring that public resources are used efficiently and transparently to improve the lives of Nigerians.
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