N-Power beneficiaries on Wednesday staged a peaceful protest at the National Assembly complex and the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja over the delayed payment of their stipends.
The protest was organised under the umbrella of the National Association of N-Power Beneficiaries and came less than 48 hours after the Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Dr. Bernard M. Doro, said all verified N-Power beneficiaries owed outstanding payments would be paid.
The protesters, led by Dan Bello, demanded the immediate payment of allowances owed by the Tinubu government. They carried placards with inscriptions such as “Renewed Hope or Recycled Neglect? Pay N-Power,” “They Worked, Pay Them. N-Power,” and “Pay N-Power Now.”
The group accused the Nigerian Government of failing to meet its obligations to beneficiaries of the N-Power programme, despite months of service and repeated appeals through official channels.
In a statement issued during the protest, the association said the prolonged delay in payment had exposed beneficiaries across the country to severe financial hardship, emotional stress, and loss of dignity. The group noted that the situation contradicts the objectives of the youth empowerment scheme.
“Our legitimate entitlements have been unjustly withheld, despite our patience and consistent service. This neglect has negatively affected the welfare of thousands of Nigerian youths who relied on the programme for sustenance,” the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Adeshina A. Adex, read.
According to the protesters, the demonstration was aimed at demanding immediate action, accountability, and transparency from relevant government authorities regarding the unpaid stipends and the overall status of the programme.
They called for the immediate payment of all arrears owed to beneficiaries and clear communication from the Nigerian Government on the future of the N-Power scheme.
While reaffirming their commitment to lawful and peaceful engagement, the protesters warned that they would not remain silent in the face of what they described as continued injustice.
The controversy surrounding the non-payment of N-Power beneficiaries’ stipends has lingered since the inception of the programme under the administration of late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Beneficiaries have over the years made several appeals and staged multiple protests demanding the payment of nine months of outstanding stipends by the Nigerian Government.
In 2025, Nigeria Startup News reported that aggrieved N-Power beneficiaries sued the President Bola Tinubu-led government at the National Industrial Court in Abuja over the non-payment of their stipends and entitlements.
The suit was filed through their legal team led by Barrister A. A. Hikima. The defendants listed in the case included the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and Mr. Akindele Egbuwalo, the National Programme Manager of the N-Power programme.
The case was later postponed after judges reportedly travelled to Kenya.
The beneficiaries said they were not paid their stipends between October 2022 and September 2023.
They noted that although the programme was eventually suspended by the Nigerian Government, they had been engaged and their services utilised before the suspension.
N-Power is a Nigerian Government social investment programme created to address youth unemployment by providing young people with skills, work experience, and temporary income support.
The programme was launched in 2016 as part of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP) and targets unemployed and underemployed Nigerians, mainly between the ages of 18 and 35.
Through N-Power, beneficiaries are deployed to various public institutions where they gain practical experience while receiving monthly stipends and training.
The programme includes several components, such as N-Power Teach, which places participants as teaching assistants in public schools; N-Power Health, which supports healthcare facilities; N-Power Agro, which focuses on agricultural extension services; and N-Power Tech, which provides digital and technology-related skills.
The initiative was designed to reduce youth unemployment, strengthen service delivery in key sectors, and equip participants with skills to transition into long-term employment or entrepreneurship after completing the programme.
In 2025, the Nigeria Labour Congress also demanded that the Federal Government process and pay outstanding N-Power stipends owed to beneficiaries across the country.
