NG-CARES investigation launched to scrutinize COVID-19 stimulus fund use and impact on vulnerable Nigerians
NG-CARES investigation by the House of Representatives Committee has revealed significant concerns over the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus programme’s ability to deliver meaningful assistance to vulnerable Nigerians.
The Committee, chaired by Abubakar Kusada (Katsina, APC), launched the probe amid widespread public dissatisfaction.
Kusada addressed journalists at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, highlighting complaints that the multi-billion-naira initiative has yielded limited benefits for its intended beneficiaries.
Jointly funded by the Federal Government and the World Bank, NG-CARES was designed to ease economic hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the removal of fuel subsidies, and exchange rate unification.
The programme, active across Nigeria’s 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, is in the final year of its initial four-year phase, set to conclude in December 2025.
With a substantial budget of $696 million (₦1.06 trillion), Kusada expressed frustration that many of Nigeria’s poorest citizens have yet to experience tangible improvements in their livelihoods.
NG-CARES targets three main result areas: social safety nets and basic services, food security and agriculture, and the recovery and resilience of micro, small, and medium enterprises.
It offers initiatives like cash transfers, public works, livelihood support, farm inputs, infrastructure upgrades, matching grants, and ICT support for small businesses.
Despite billions allocated to states for these efforts, Kusada noted a glaring lack of visible positive impact on the ground.
Exercising oversight powers under Sections 88 and 89 of the Constitution, the Committee intends to investigate potential mismanagement or diversion of funds, assess value for money, and scrutinise procurement for irregularities.
The Committee will also review the performance of independent verification agents, assess fairness in fund allocations, and evaluate the capacity and training of state-level agencies responsible for delivery.
“If funds have been utilised as intended, Nigerians must be informed about how and where to access the benefits,” Kusada stressed.
“If misappropriated, those responsible will be held to account and the money recovered. Where oversight or procurement systems have failed, we will involve relevant anti-corruption bodies.”
He concluded, “The Committee will see to it that every kobo spent translates into real and measurable improvements in people’s lives. If the programme is successful, the results should be evident. If it is not, corrective actions must be taken immediately.”
Fresh concerns have emerged over compliance with a court order issued by the High Court of Kano State on April 8, 2026, restraining key parties—including the Honourable Minister of Education, the Kano State Ministry of Land and Physical Planning, the Kano State Urban Development Authority, and Pluck Global Company Limited—from further actions pending the determination of the matter before the court.
Findings indicate that while all parties—except the concessionaire, Pluck Global Company Limited—were duly served within two days of the order, significant challenges were encountered in effecting service on the company, raising troubling questions about its corporate traceability and regulatory vetting.
A review of the company’s records filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) revealed addresses that could not be verified as functional business locations. Notably, documentation submitted to Federal Government College (FGC), Kano, dated June 20, 2024, listed two addresses: 8B, Lalupon Street, off Keffi Street, off Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, Lagos, as its head office, and 3 Bargery Road, Bompai, Kano, as its branch office.
However, a physical visit to the Ikoyi address revealed that the entire property is occupied by a company identified as Golden Alchemy, whose staff категорically denied any knowledge of, or shared occupancy with, Pluck Global Company Limited.
Efforts to trace the Kano address yielded even more unsettling findings. The location—a locked duplex—showed no visible signs of commercial activity. Neighbours, while reluctant to speak on record, alluded to irregular movements at odd hours, casting further doubt on the legitimacy of the premises as a corporate office.
In a twist, after multiple attempts to establish contact, an individual purportedly representing the company surfaced in Kano and agreed to receive and acknowledge the court order on April 11, 2026, at approximately 6:00 pm. Curiously, the Ikoyi address—already discredited—was again listed as the company’s official address in the acknowledgment.
These developments raise critical questions regarding due diligence and Know Your Customer (KYC) protocols on the part of the Federal Ministry of Education. They also cast a spotlight on the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), should a concession agreement indeed have been executed with the company. Stakeholders say it would be instructive to review the addresses contained in all official correspondences and contractual documents linked to the transaction.
Meanwhile, a visit to the premises of Federal Government College, Kano, revealed ongoing construction activity, with workers observed excavating foundations. When approached, the workers declined to disclose the authority under which they were operating—despite the subsistence of a court order restraining further action.
Notably, a previously installed project billboard bearing the insignia of the school authorities and the Federal Ministry of Education had been removed. Sources within the institution suggest that the directive for its removal may have emanated from the Ministry following receipt of the court order.
The unfolding situation presents a complex mix of legal, regulatory, and accountability issues—raising the spectre of possible non-compliance with judicial directives, as well as deeper concerns about transparency in public-private concession arrangements.
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