FG Disengages 500,000 N-Power Beneficiaries

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Sadiya Umar Farouq has said the Batch A and B N-Power beneficiaries will exit the scheme June 30 and July 31 respectively.

The programme has 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.

In a statement, she said the federal government has commenced the transitioning of the Batch A and B into government entrepreneurship schemes.

“We have commenced the transitioning of beneficiaries from Batches A & B into government entrepreneurship schemes and engaging private sector bodies to absorb some of the beneficiaries after the completion of psychometric assessment to determine competency and placement into various opportunities.

“The Federal government is committed to the continuation and expansion and as such will now begin enrolment and onboarding of a new Batch of beneficiaries.

“In view of these, the Ministry has announced that Batch A will exit June 30, 2020 and Batch B will exit the programme on July 31, 2020.”

The Ministry will begin the enrolment for a new batch of N-Power beneficiaries effective July 26, 2020.

The online portal would be open to receive applications from noon on June 26, 2020 and will provide a level playing field for all applicants.

The N-Power Programme was inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2016 under the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) with the mandate of lifting citizens out of poverty through capacity building, investment, and direct support.