The Government of Guyana will begin distributing its $100,000 National Cash Grant next week, with central government employees who already receive their salaries through bank accounts set to be the first beneficiaries.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the country’s Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, who said the first phase of payments will target central government workers who have already submitted their banking information.
According to Dr. Singh, those employees are expected to receive the cash grant by the end of next week, after which the government will move on to other eligible groups.
The grant forms part of a commitment made by the country’s President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, and was also outlined during the 2026 Budget presentation. It applies to every Guyanese citizen aged 18 and older.
Dr. Singh said the initial rollout through the banking system is intended to make the process faster, safer, and more transparent, while also advancing the government’s wider push toward digitisation and financial inclusion.
As part of that effort, President Ali has repeatedly encouraged citizens to open bank accounts to make future transfers more efficient.
Government says it is using existing financial infrastructure to begin the first wave of payments, with around 50,000 public servants, teachers, and members of the Disciplined Services expected to benefit in the opening phase.
Authorities are also preparing to launch an online platform that will allow other eligible citizens to register for the grant. Details on that digital system are expected to be announced soon, along with guidance on how beneficiaries can use it.
In preparation for the broader rollout, the Ministry of Finance said it has been working with commercial banks to simplify the account-opening process, including allowing persons to open accounts online.
Among the banks currently facilitating online account opening are Demerara Bank, Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI), Republic Bank Guyana, and Scotiabank Guyana.
The ministry said the cash grant initiative is also linked to the government’s wider objective of increasing financial inclusion, particularly by bringing more citizens into the formal banking system and expanding access to savings, investment, and financing opportunities.
The government pointed to a number of measures introduced in recent years aimed at increasing disposable income and social support, including cash grants for newborns, annual school grants for students in both public and private schools, increases in old age pension and public assistance, and the introduction this year of transportation grants for students and pensioners.
The upcoming payout follows the first $100,000 National Cash Grant launched in late 2024, which the government said injected more than $60 billion into the hands of over 600,000 Guyanese.
This year’s programme is expected to transfer a further $60 billion to eligible citizens once completed.
The current initiative will mark the third major cash grant introduced by the PPP/C administration since returning to office in 2020. The first was the $25,000 per household grant rolled out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
