The Federal Government has announced plans to clear the ₦81 billion owed to N-Power beneficiaries for unpaid allowances dating back to 2022 and 2023. This decision followed a closed-door meeting held on Tuesday, July 22, convened by the Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau.
The meeting brought together representatives of the aggrieved beneficiaries, their legal counsel Abba Hikima, and top government officials, including the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Speaking after the meeting, Senator Barau described the discussions as “productive,” confirming that the government had begun making arrangements to settle the outstanding payments.
“The beneficiaries came to the Senate for help, and I reached out to the minister, who responded positively. We’ve had a fruitful discussion, and the government has shown clear commitment to clearing the backlog. As a result, the beneficiaries have agreed to suspend their legal action,” Barau stated.
Professor Yilwatda admitted that the government owed the beneficiaries, explaining that the allowances were captured in the 2022 and 2023 budgets but not released due to funding gaps.
“We secured approval from the service-wide vote late last year and are now working to begin disbursement within this fiscal year. We are committed to settling everything before the year ends,” Yilwatda said.
Confirming the government’s assurances, beneficiaries’ lawyer, Abba Hikima, revealed that the lawsuit filed against the government had been suspended.
“My clients are being owed around ₦81 billion. The minister has assured us that payments will start once the 2025 budget implementation begins. We appreciate the Senate’s intervention,” Hikima noted.
The chairman of the N-Power beneficiaries, Kehinde James, expressed gratitude to the Senate and ministers for addressing the matter after years of frustration.
The N-Power programme, a flagship youth empowerment initiative, has faced repeated payment delays in recent years, sparking protests and public outrage.
The Senate expressed confidence that, with the renewed commitment, the backlog will be cleared before the end of 2025.
