Abuja, Nigeria — Over 230,000 former N-Power beneficiaries have taken legal action against the federal government, demanding payment of outstanding stipends and ₦5 billion in general damages for alleged exploitation and breach of contract.
The lawsuit, filed at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) in Abuja (case number NICN/ABJ/214/2025), targets the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Accountant-General of the Federation, and Akindele Egbuwalo, National Programme Manager of N-Power.
Ex-N-Power volunteers demand justice
The aggrieved beneficiaries, who were engaged under the final phase of the programme launched by former President Muhammadu Buhari, claim they were entitled to:
✅ ₦30,000 monthly stipends for graduates (for one year)
✅ ₦10,000 monthly stipends for non-graduates (for nine months)
Through their legal representatives led by A. A. Hikima, the claimants argue that the government’s refusal to pay accrued stipends violates Nigerian labour laws and international best practices.
They are asking the court to:
Declare the non-payment as unlawful and unfair labour practice
Order the defendants to pay all outstanding allowances
Award ₦5 billion as damages and ₦50 million as legal costs
‘We were left stranded’ — Beneficiaries share ordeal
One of the affected volunteers, Abdulganiyu Babatunde, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from LAUTECH, shared his frustration:
“N-Power was the only benefit I received since graduating in 2010. I used the stipend to support my family until the payments stopped. Hoping the arrears would come, I even took loans. But before the Buhari government left, we got nothing. Now, it seems Tinubu’s government won’t pay either.”
Babatunde backed the legal action, describing it as a necessary step to seek justice.
N-Power under scrutiny
The N-Power scheme, created to tackle youth unemployment by engaging graduates and non-graduates in community service and skill acquisition, has faced criticism over alleged mismanagement and delays in payments.
In their court documents, the claimants emphasized that they served in public institutions and deserve to be paid like other government employees:
“Our engagement was formal, and refusal to pay is exploitation and a breach of our labour rights,” they stated.
Tinubu promises reform
Earlier, President Bola Tinubu directed the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to reform N-Power for greater efficiency. Minister Nentawe Yilwatda later announced the distribution of over 100,000 empowerment items to strengthen the programme’s impact nationwide.
Despite this, ex-beneficiaries insist their arrears must be settled.
