“The president ordered that we include the urban poor as well. We used satellite imagery… AI helped us generate a list…”
The Federal Government is now using artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite data to identify poor Nigerians living in urban slums, according to Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.
Speaking on Arise TV, Yilwatda said the national social register has grown from 13 million to 19.7 million people after incorporating data from urban communities.
“The president ordered that we include the urban poor as well. We used satellite imagery… AI helped us generate a list,” he explained.
He said the government aims to reach 75 million people (15 million households) through its poverty alleviation programmes, including conditional cash transfers of ₦75,000 per household.
“About 42% of Nigerians face food poverty… we’re targeting over 75% of them,” Yilwatda said.
The minister added that while previous approaches focused on humanitarian aid, the Tinubu administration is now shifting to structural solutions like agriculture loans, education scholarships, and small business support.