President Bola Tinubu has approved the creation of a Community-Based National Social Action Fund Task Force aimed at strengthening grassroots development and accelerating socio-economic projects across Nigeria’s 8,804 wards.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday night in Abuja by Mr Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.

According to the statement, the initiative is designed to promote community-driven interventions tailored to the specific needs of local areas. It explained that each ward will partner with a verified community-based organisation, association, or entity to execute priority development projects.

The approval, it noted, builds on earlier government reforms, including the establishment of the Social Action Fund, SAF, in September 2023 and the Community-Based Procurement Platform introduced in January 2026.

These frameworks are intended to simplify access for community groups to implement projects valued at up to N50 million.

Bako further stated that the President has approved a project implementation timeline beginning March 1, with completion targeted for December.

He added that a dedicated Programme Management Unit will be housed within the Sector-Wide Approach, SWAp, coordination office of the ministry to supervise execution and ensure compliance.

In addition, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, AGF, have been directed to release N17 billion into a dedicated intervention account. The funds will support implementation, monitoring, communication, and accountability mechanisms for the programme.

The task force will be chaired by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare and will include the Minister of Finance, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs, and the Permanent Secretary of the ministry.

Other members include the Director-General of the Bureau of Public Procurement, the Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, as well as a National Coordinator appointed to oversee operations.