Government unveils new plan on opportunities for N-Power beneficiaries

*Under the programme, 200,000 beneficiaries will be engaged as financial services operators under the Shared Agent Network Expansion Facility, says Sadiya Farouq, Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

In an effort at enabling those who choose to sign up to access other government empowerment prospects, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration says N-Power beneficiaries, who have concluded the two-year job programme, will now be able to access permanent job opportunities or business prospects.

This is part of the newly-activated N-power exit strategy, says agency report.

It noted the initiative is for Batches A and B of the N-Power programme.

Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, Honourable Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, who disclosed the update on the programme, spoke at the 4th Annual Review of the Homegrown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) Wednesday, January 20.

The Minister stated that under the plan, 200,000 beneficiaries will be engaged as financial services operators under the Shared Agent Network Expansion Facility (SANEF), operated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Farooq said: “Plans have been concluded for the transition of the N-power Batch A and B through the creation of the NEXIT portal, which would allow those who choose to sign up to access other government empowerment opportunities.

“A beneficiary management system for the NSIPs is expected to be deployed in 2021. It would have the capacity to manage payments, address grievances and improve dissemination of information.”

According to Farouq, the government noted another 30,000 beneficiaries have been engaged as geospatial experts and enumerators in the Economic Sustainability Plan’s Mass Agric programme.

Others will have the option of benefiting from the Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme (GEEP) micro-enterprise loans, said the Minister.