Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has distributed 50 electric cars and 50 electric tricycles to 100 youths in the state as part of efforts to boost economic growth and support sustainable development.

Speaking during the distribution ceremony in Lafia on Thursday, Sule said the initiative was designed to empower the beneficiaries to run the vehicles as commercial businesses, creating new sources of income and reducing unemployment.

He explained that the vehicles are powered by electricity instead of petrol or Compressed Natural Gas, making them cheaper to maintain and more environmentally friendly.

The governor revealed that a charging centre had already been established at the newly constructed state secretariat in Lafia.

“We are going to build one charging centre each in Akwanga and Keffi Local Government Areas to serve the Nasarawa North and West Senatorial Districts, respectively,” Sule said. He also noted that additional charging centres would be developed across the remaining local government areas in due course.

According to him, the first batch of the electric cars and tricycles will be deployed in Lafia, Akwanga, and Keffi to provide transport services for civil servants and help cushion current economic realities.

“They will also serve tertiary institutions in the three locations, including the Federal University of Lafia, College of Education, Akwanga, and the State University in Keffi,” he added.

Sule further explained that all the vehicles are air-conditioned and can operate for an entire day once fully charged. He expressed optimism that the project would give beneficiaries sustainable livelihoods while also promoting green energy and environmental protection.

The Emir of Lafia and Chairman of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs, Retired Justice Muhammad Sidi-Bage, praised the governor for the intervention, describing it as a timely step to ease the economic hardship faced by residents.

He encouraged beneficiaries to use the vehicles responsibly, saying the initiative could help reduce the high cost of local transportation and provide relief to commuters.

The emir assured that traditional rulers would continue to support government policies and programmes.

He also pledged that royal fathers would remain non-partisan, while offering prayers and blessings to all political candidates, regardless of party affiliation.

August 21, 2025 – The Federal Government has officially launched the third phase of its Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, known as Renewed Hope GEEP (RHGEEP 3.0), with a target of five million beneficiaries by 2027.

Speaking at the national stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Badamasi Lawal, said the new phase marks a recalibration of the scheme, anchored on trust, consistency, and accountability.

“This gathering reflects our collective commitment to deepen financial inclusion, expand access to credit for small businesses, and empower our people, particularly women, youth, artisans, petty traders, and smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s informal economy,” he said.

He explained that the roundtable was convened to formally launch the strategy for RH GEEP 3.0, under the theme “Building Trust, Strengthening Transparency, and Scaling Impact through Financial Inclusion.”

According to him, the programme was not just about policy but about addressing access to affordable credit for underserved Nigerians.

Lawal highlighted that the programme, which started under the National Social Investment Programmes, was designed to provide micro-credit and financial support to millions at the base of the economic pyramid.

He recalled that through schemes such as TraderMoni, MarketMoni, and FarmerMoni, GEEP has helped expand micro-enterprises, restore dignity, and offer opportunities to those excluded from formal financial systems.

While acknowledging the progress made under GEEP 1.0 and 2.0, the NSIPA boss stressed that RHGEEP 3.0 represents a deliberate shift. “Distinguished stakeholders, RHGEEP 3.0 is not a mere continuation; it is a recalibration. It represents a conscious shift in how we approach microcredit, anchored on: trust, re-establishing confidence with beneficiaries, the wider public, and stakeholders; consistency, ensuring equity in access and fairness in process; and accountability, clear enforcement of obligations, particularly repayment. Our goal is to reach five million beneficiaries by 2027, with a strong and positive repayment culture. This is ambitious, but it is achievable if we work in alignment,” he stated.

He added that lessons from earlier phases show the need to strengthen transparency and accountability, improve repayment mechanisms, expand digital inclusion through fintech partnerships, and deepen collaboration with state and local governments.

Lawal commended the National Programme Manager of GEEP and his team, as well as technical partners System Strategy and Policy Lab and Sydani Group, for their role in shaping the new strategy.

He said the success of RHGEEP 3.0 would depend on strong partnerships between government, financial institutions, and civil society, alongside effective communication with the public.

“This administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, recognises both the urgency and the opportunity to transform GEEP into a more accountable, impactful, and sustainable intervention,” he added.

Nigeria’s Minister for Youth Development, Olawande Emmanuel Ayodele, has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to give young Nigerians wider access to the capital market.

According to the minister, this agreement is designed to change the long-standing perception that the capital market is reserved only for the wealthy.

“For too long, many young people saw the capital market as something distant, meant only for the rich. But today, we are making it clear: the capital market belongs to every Nigerian young person,” Ayodele said.

The partnership is expected to provide Nigerian youth with valuable knowledge and practical training. This will help them understand how to save, make investments, and build sustainable businesses.

“This partnership will deliver gainful knowledge and practical training to Nigerian youth, which they can use to leverage their saving, investments, and build businesses that will shape our economy for generations,” he added.

Highlighting the broader goal of the initiative, the minister emphasized wealth creation and entrepreneurship. “What we are doing with this collaboration with SEC is to create wealth, build investors; and support young entrepreneurs across our nation,” Ayodele explained.

He also commended the Securities and Exchange Commission for working with the ministry to promote financial literacy and youth empowerment. “I deeply appreciate the Security and Exchange Commission for this important partnership and call on other stakeholders, both in government and the private sector, to join us in raising a generation of financially smart, empowered, and confident young Nigerians,” he stated.