In Ondo State, Nigeria, Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa's administration has launched a ₦20,000 monthly stipend for 5,400 elderly residents, aged 70 and above, in 18 local government areas. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, disclosed the figures during a government event on pension and gratuity payments in October 2025.
The ₦20,000 Monthly Stipend
The programme, aimed at providing direct support to vulnerable residents, is part of broader efforts by the administration to use local government resources to address the needs of the elderly. The stipend is separate from payments to retired government workers and is intended to provide immediate relief to elderly individuals struggling to meet basic expenses. The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Amidu Takuro, said the government had also directed that a portion of available funds be saved quarterly to support the payment of pensioners' gratuities.
Similar Approaches in Other States
Other states in Nigeria have experimented with similar approaches to addressing the needs of the elderly. In Ekiti State, former governor Kayode Fayemi introduced the Owo Arugbo social security scheme in 2012, under which indigent elderly residents received monthly stipends. The programme was discontinued by Ayo Fayose's administration in 2014 but was reintroduced when Fayemi returned to office in 2018. In Abia State, Governor Alex Otti signed the Senior Citizens Welfare Bill into law, establishing the Abia State Senior Citizens Centre and providing for welfare and healthcare support for residents aged 60 and above.
Concerns Over Targeting and Payment Delays
However, cash-transfer programmes in Nigeria have also faced questions over targeting, payment delays, and transparency. The civil society organisation Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) has monitored federal cash-transfer programmes across several states and has repeatedly called attention to weaknesses in implementation. In November 2025, residents of the Ero community in the Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State alleged irregularities in the Federal Government's conditional cash-transfer programme, including claims that deceased people appeared on beneficiary lists while some living residents were excluded.
The Long-Term Test for Ondo's Programme
The long-term test for Ondo's programme will be whether it can maintain accurate beneficiary records, prevent political interference, ensure payments reach beneficiaries in full and on time, and remain funded beyond the tenure of the administration that introduced or expanded it. The value of a cash transfer depends not only on the amount being paid but also on whether the right people receive it consistently. The ₦20,000 monthly payment can provide immediate relief to an elderly person struggling to buy food or meet other basic expenses, but fixed cash payments can also lose purchasing power as prices rise.
Source: Pulse.ng
