Budget 2026: Humanitarian Ministry Allocates N23.56bn for Youth Empowerment, Medical Outreach
By GLEBM News Desk
Nigeria’s Humanitarian Affairs Ministry plans to spend N23.56bn in the 2026 budget on youth empowerment, medical outreach and social support programmes.
The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction has proposed a total expenditure of N23.56 billion in the 2026 budget to fund youth empowerment initiatives, medical and surgical outreach programmes, and other social intervention projects across the country.
Budget documents show that the ministry earmarked N1.39 billion for personnel costs, N978.39 million for overheads, while the largest share—N21.18 billion—has been allocated to capital expenditure to support programme delivery and infrastructure.
A breakdown of the proposal indicates that N14 billion is set aside for a combination of youth empowerment programmes and medical and surgical outreach for patients, reflecting the ministry’s focus on job creation, skills development, and access to basic healthcare services.
In addition, the ministry proposed N1.05 billion for the training and empowerment of selected youths and women in Kano State, with the objective of promoting economic independence and self-reliance among beneficiaries.
The budget also includes N1.4 billion for the procurement of electric buses, which the ministry said would serve as empowerment support for selected associations and unions in Kwara State.
To address food insecurity, N166.04 million has been earmarked for the supply of essential food items to vulnerable persons in Lagos State, while N115.5 million is proposed for vocational skills acquisition and the provision of starter packs for internally displaced persons (IDPs), widows and youths.
The vocational programmes will cover trades such as vulcanising, tailoring, plumbing, barbing, paint-making, fish farming and poultry farming, with the aim of enabling beneficiaries to generate sustainable income.
Another N126 million has been allocated for the economic empowerment of vulnerable adolescents and youths through training in soap-making, tie and dye, carpentry, sewing, welding, beekeeping, fish farming, piggery, shoe and bag making, and related trades. The allocation also covers the procurement of empowerment tools, including welding and filling machines, sewing and industrial weaving machines, carpentry tools, grinding and smoothing machines for shoe-making, and materials for soap, fabric and leather work.
The ministry further proposed N280.38 million for the monitoring and evaluation of its projects and programmes, underscoring the importance of oversight and performance tracking. Additional provisions include N112 million for office furniture and fittings, and N113 million for the purchase of office machines and equipment.
Officials said the proposed allocations align with the ministry’s mandate to reduce poverty, support vulnerable populations, and promote inclusive economic participation through targeted humanitarian and empowerment programmes.
— GLEBM News
