Family security scholarship: the number of beneficiaries increases to 469,497 in 2026

The number of beneficiaries of the National Family Security Grant Program (PNBSF) increases from 355,013 to 469,497 in 2026, while the envelope devoted to allowances increases from 52 to 70 billion CFA francs, the Minister of Family and Solidarity, Marie Angélique Mame Selbé Diouf, announced on Monday.

The minister, according to the APS, was speaking on the sidelines of an information and sharing meeting dedicated to the resumption of payments and the re-certification of beneficiaries of the program. “Since its launch in 2013, the National Family Security Grant Program has established itself as a major instrument in the fight against extreme poverty,” she said.

According to Marie Angélique Mame Selbé Diouf, the resumption of payments, planned “in the coming days”, comes after a period of suspension which made it possible to take stock of the program and define new directions. It aims to “consolidate support for vulnerable households and strengthen the confidence of the population”.

This recovery also opens a new stage with the re-certification of beneficiaries. The minister explained that this operation responds to an imperative of equity, social justice and efficiency. It must make it possible to verify the socio-economic situation of households, to keep those who still need it in the program and to integrate new vulnerable households.

“It constitutes neither a sanction nor an arbitrary withdrawal of rights. Our objective is simple: better target to better protect,” insisted the minister. She specified that the Single National Register (RNU), which allows the identification and characterization of poor and vulnerable households, constitutes “a strategic tool” for this operation.

Marie Angélique Mame Selbé Diouf also announced that people holding the equal opportunities card will also benefit from program benefits. She invited the network of social protection journalists to contribute to “clear, responsible and educational” information on the objectives and methods of resuming payments and re-certification. Elected officials were also called upon to play a role of local relay, listening and education to the populations.

“The payment resumption operation which will begin in the coming days must be conducted in strict compliance with the principles of objectivity, transparency, fairness and respect for dignity,” she stressed.

The minister finally indicated that the government’s ambition goes beyond just the payment of benefits. According to her, it is a question of gradually evolving the model towards social protection more oriented towards the resilience and empowerment of households. “The resumption of payments and re-certification is much more than an administrative operation. They represent an important step in the modernization of our social protection system,” she concluded.