The Senate has confirmed that the Federal Government is preparing to clear the N81 billion backlog owed to N-Power beneficiaries for 2022 and 2023. This was disclosed on Tuesday following a closed-door meeting led by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin.
The meeting was attended by federal officials, aggrieved N-Power beneficiaries, and their legal representative, Abba Hikima. After the session, Barau told journalists that the discussions were productive and that the government is now making arrangements to begin payments.
“The beneficiaries came here to the Senate to seek my intervention. I called the minister, and he responded positively,” Barau said. “We held a very fruitful discussion that assured the beneficiaries that the government is actively making preparations to settle the backlog.”
He added, “Having seen the clear commitment of the government, they have agreed to suspend legal action. This is a responsive government under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, and no one will be denied what is rightfully theirs.”
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, confirmed that the debt stemmed from unpaid stipends included in the 2022 and 2023 budgets but not funded on time.
“We approached the service-wide vote and got an approval late last year. Now, we’re working to activate the payment in the current fiscal year. As a responsible government, we will resolve this before the year ends,” the minister said.
Representing the N-Power beneficiaries, lawyer Abba Hikima said litigation is being suspended in light of the Senate’s mediation.
“The government owes my clients about N81 billion. The minister has assured us that once the 2025 budget implementation kicks off, payments will commence. We appreciate the Senate Deputy President and other government officials for stepping in,” Hikima stated.
Chairman of the beneficiaries, Kehinde James, also expressed gratitude to Senator Barau and the officials involved, calling their intervention timely and important in ending the long delay.
The N-Power programme, one of Nigeria’s top social investment schemes, has faced funding delays, raising concerns among unemployed youth who depend on the allowances.