Government Scales Up Social Cash Transfer Programme to Over 1.55 Million Households Nationwide
By Respite Kaoma,
Government has completed the nationwide scale-up of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) Programme, increasing coverage from 1.3 million to 1,555,840 vulnerable households across the country.
The Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Doreen Mwamba, announced the development during a press briefing, revealing that more than 300,000 additional households were enrolled—exceeding the initial target of 250,000—following an extensive sensitisation campaign conducted in all 116 districts nationwide.
Ms. Mwamba said the SCT Programme remains a key social protection intervention aimed at cushioning vulnerable citizens from extreme poverty, restoring dignity to the elderly, protecting children, and supporting persons with disabilities.
She explained that beneficiary selection was conducted using scientifically developed poverty-targeting parameters aligned with the Zambia Statistics Agency framework and subjected to Proxy Means Testing, to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability.
The Minister further announced that payments for the January–February 2026 cycle will begin on Friday, 20th February, and will run for four weeks, benefiting over 1.5 million households, including approximately 305,000 newly enrolled beneficiaries.
The payment cycle will also cover 23,000 households under the Nutrition-Sensitive Pilot Programme in Kawambwa, Monze, Mumbwa, and Chibombo districts.
Ms. Mwamba added that additional deserving households will be progressively enrolled under the revised SCT guidelines as part of Government’s continued efforts to strengthen social protection systems in Zambia.
