President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Task Force to accelerate grassroots development and deliver socio-economic projects across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards.
The initiative was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday night in Abuja by Mr Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
According to the statement, the programme is designed to promote community-led development by enabling local groups to identify and implement priority projects tailored to the specific needs of their communities. Under the framework, each ward will collaborate with a verified community-based organisation or association to execute development interventions.
The initiative builds on earlier reforms, including the establishment of the Social Action Fund in September 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform introduced in January 2026. These mechanisms are intended to simplify access for community actors to implement projects valued at up to ₦50 million.
Mr Bako noted that implementation is scheduled to commence on March 1, with completion targeted for December. He added that a dedicated Programme Management Unit will be domiciled within the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) coordination office to oversee execution, monitoring, and compliance.
To support implementation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation have been directed to release ₦17 billion into a dedicated intervention account. The funds will cover implementation, monitoring, communication, and accountability systems.
The task force will be chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and will include key federal officials such as the Ministers of Finance, Humanitarian Affairs, State Ministers of Health and Humanitarian Affairs, and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.
Other members include the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, and a National Coordinator to be appointed to oversee operations.
The Presidency says the initiative is aimed at improving transparency, deepening community participation, and ensuring faster delivery of development projects at the grassroots level.
Elijah Adeyemi
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