Nentawe Yilwatda, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), revealed that over 10 million beneficiaries of Nigeria’s federal government’s conditional cash transfer programme lack access to social media, hindering their ability to publicly discuss the administration’s interventions, according to a statement made during a three-day APC National Executive Council retreat in Maiduguri, Borno State. Yilwatda emphasized that many of these recipients, who received 75,000 naira under the programme administered by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, are among the poorest and most vulnerable Nigerians without phones, television, or internet access, preventing them from engaging in public debates about government policies. 'They cannot come and challenge and discuss as we are doing here, but they are out there,' he said, citing the programme’s funding through savings from the removal of the petrol subsidy.
The APC chairman highlighted the Tinubu administration’s broader economic initiatives, including road construction and student loans, as part of its social and economic interventions. Yilwatda noted that the cash transfer programme, alongside infrastructure projects, aims to address poverty and improve livelihoods, though he acknowledged the challenge of ensuring public visibility for beneficiaries who lack digital platforms. 'We are constructing roads and paying people who are working on the road site and construction is going across the country,' he stated, framing these efforts as part of the government’s strategy to bolster public support ahead of the 2027 general election.
Yilwatda’s remarks underscored the disconnect between policy implementation and public discourse, as the APC seeks to amplify its narrative of economic progress. The party has positioned the cash transfer programme and other interventions as key achievements, despite limited direct engagement from beneficiaries. The National Chairman’s comments reflect broader concerns about how marginalized groups, who stand to benefit most from such policies, remain excluded from national conversations due to systemic barriers like digital and economic inequality.
The APC’s emphasis on these programmes aligns with its electoral strategy, leveraging tangible benefits to build political capital. However, the lack of public testimony from beneficiaries raises questions about the transparency and reach of government initiatives. The National Chairman’s remarks, quoted in Punch, highlight the challenges of measuring policy impact when affected populations cannot participate in public dialogue. This dynamic underscores the need for inclusive communication strategies to ensure that social programmes resonate with those they aim to serve.