President Bola Tinubu has approved a ₦17 billion Community-Based National Social Action Fund aimed at driving grassroots development across Nigeria’s 8,804 political wards.The initiative, announced by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, will be implemented through a newly established task force to coordinate community-led interventions nationwide.
According to the ministry, each ward will partner with a verified community-based organisation to identify and execute priority projects tailored to local needs.
“The initiative will deploy community-driven interventions tailored to local needs, with each ward engaging a verified community-based entity, organisation, or association to implement priority projects,” the statement said. Speaking on the programme, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, described it as a shift towards decentralised development.
“This approach places communities at the centre of development… unlocking practical solutions that directly improve livelihoods and strengthen service delivery where it matters most,” he said.
He added that interventions would address urgent needs at the grassroots level.“Interventions may include community nutrition support, provision of essential health commodities such as micronutrients and therapeutic foods, as well as minor infrastructure improvements in schools, health facilities, and sanitation systems,” Pate said.
The programme is scheduled to run from March to December 2026, with a Programme Management Unit overseeing implementation.“To ensure effective implementation, the President has approved a project timeline commencing March 1, 2026, with delivery expected by December 2026,” the statement noted.
Funding for the initiative will be drawn from a ring-fenced intervention account managed by the Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.“The sum of ₦17 billion will be released into a ring-fenced special intervention account to support implementation, monitoring, communication, and accountability,” the statement added.
The government said the programme builds on earlier reforms, including the Social Action Fund and the Community-Based Procurement Platform, designed to enhance access for community organisations to execute projects of up to ₦50 million.
