Tinubu Unleashes N17bn Grassroots Fund, Launches Task Force to Drive Ward-Level Development Nationwide

|By Adejumo Adekunle

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the creation of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Task Force, setting in motion an ambitious plan to drive development directly to Nigeria’s 8,804 wards and fast-track socio-economic transformation at the grassroots.

The approval, announced in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, signals a major push to empower local communities to design and execute their own development priorities.

According to the ministry, the initiative will deploy a community-driven model, where each ward partners with a verified local organisation or association to implement critical projects tailored to its needs.

The move builds on earlier reforms, including the establishment of the Social Action Fund (SAF) in 2023 and the introduction of a Community-Based Procurement Platform in 2026—both designed to simplify access to funding for grassroots projects worth up to ₦50 million.

In a decisive financial commitment, the President has also directed the release of ₦17 billion through the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation to fund implementation, monitoring, communication, and accountability mechanisms.

Project execution is scheduled to kick off on March 1 and conclude by December, with a dedicated Programme Management Unit under the ministry’s Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) office tasked with ensuring strict oversight and compliance.

The newly established task force will be chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and will include key government officials such as the Ministers of Finance and Humanitarian Affairs, alongside top institutional heads from agencies like the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Budget Office of the Federation, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

With this move, the federal government aims to decentralise development, strengthen accountability, and accelerate impactful projects at the community level, marking a significant shift in how public resources reach ordinary Nigerians.