The National Association of N-Power Beneficiaries (NANB) has issued a bold demand to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urging the immediate release of its long-awaited report on the alleged corruption scandal that has engulfed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.
The call comes amid growing frustration over the EFCC’s silence on high-profile investigations involving former ministers—Betta Edu and Sadiya Umar-Farouk—as well as other key figures such as former National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) coordinator Halima Shehu and contractor James Okwete.
These investigations, launched several months ago, have remained shrouded in secrecy, despite their far-reaching implications for national development, public accountability, and the credibility of government-led social intervention programmes.
In a strongly worded letter dated May 2, 2025, and obtained by SaharaReporters, NANB appealed to the EFCC Chairman to break the silence and make the investigative findings public. The letter, signed by the association’s National Secretary, Bashir Ladan, on behalf of its National President, underscored the urgency and importance of transparency in rebuilding public trust.
> “Given the grave implications of the alleged misconduct on national development and public welfare, it is imperative that the findings of this investigation be made available to the public. Transparency and accountability are critical pillars of our democracy,” the letter read in part.
NANB emphasized that releasing the report—or at the very least, granting access to civil society organizations and concerned citizens—would send a powerful message that no one is above the law.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation has faced widespread condemnation in recent years following a string of scandals, fund misappropriations, and operational irregularities. The fallout has been especially devastating for the thousands of N-Power beneficiaries who have been left in limbo, many of whom remain unpaid for their service.
Launched in 2016 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, the N-Power programme was introduced as a flagship initiative under the National Social Investment Programmes (NSIPs). It aimed to tackle youth unemployment and alleviate poverty by equipping young Nigerians with vital skills and employment opportunities.
However, despite its noble goals, the programme has been repeatedly undermined by poor management, lack of oversight, and alleged corruption—turning a beacon of hope for millions into a symbol of bureaucratic failure.
In November 2024, aggrieved N-Power beneficiaries, led by activist Adeshina Adex, threatened to stage nationwide protests over the non-payment of their stipends for an entire year—from October 2022 to September 2023. They accused the Nigerian government of abandoning them after utilizing their services without compensation, even before the official suspension of the programme.
Historically, N-Power Batches A and B—which enrolled 200,000 and 300,000 youths respectively from all 774 local government areas—were paid monthly stipends of N30,000 until the programme was abruptly halted in June 2020.
With the credibility of government anti-poverty initiatives at stake and a wave of disillusionment spreading among Nigerian youths, NANB insists that the EFCC must not allow this investigation to be swept under the rug.
> “We respectfully request that the EFCC make the full report available, either through public disclosure or by providing access to interested citizens and civil society groups,” the letter concluded.
As the nation watches closely, the release—or continued suppression—of this report could become a defining moment in Nigeria’s war against corruption and the future of social justice for its teeming unemployed youth.
PIONEER NEWS 