FG Pays N-Power Beneficiaries, Will Restructure Programme

The Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development on Saturday announced that it had concluded payment of April 2020 stipends to N-Power beneficiaries.

Announcing the payment in a statement issued by the ministry, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar-Farouq, said, “last week I promised that the stipends would be paid this week.

“We encountered some delays on the GIFMIS platform but I can now announce that all N-Power beneficiaries from Batch A and B have been paid their April stipends.”

She added, “We are working hard to streamline the programme for greater efficiency and to provide opportunities for more Nigerian youths. Details will be provided as soon as May stipend has been paid.”

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by the Federal Government in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme.

Its mandate was to lift citizens out of poverty through capacity building, investment, and direct support.

The ministry said the effort also contributed to the government’s vision of lifting 100 million people out of poverty by creating opportunities to enhance the productivity of the Nigerian youth.

The programme had enrolled 500,000 beneficiaries thus far, 200,000 from Batch A which started in September 2016, and 300,000 from Batch B, which kicked off in August 2018.

The beneficiaries were supposed to spend 24 months on the programme but Batch A beneficiaries have spent over 40 months.

The ministry said the Batch A beneficiaries were denying other Nigerians an opportunity to access the programme and gain skills for entrepreneurship and employment.