No fewer than 1,495,571 beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s N-Power programme have issued a 10-day ultimatum to the government, demanding the immediate payment of their outstanding stipends.
The beneficiaries, speaking through their national leadership in an issued statement dated March 9, 2026, expressed deep frustration over what they described as the prolonged failure of the government to settle payments owed to them under the youth empowerment scheme.
According to the statement, beneficiaries across the country have endured severe economic hardship for more than three years due to the non-payment of stipends meant for participants in the programme.
The statement, jointly signed by the “National Chairman of N-Power Beneficiaries Nationwide’ and the National Publicity Secretary on behalf of participants across the country, noted that many beneficiaries have been pushed into poverty and debt while waiting for the government to fulfil its financial obligations.
The group stressed that the stipends were not a form of charity but legitimate payments for services already rendered under the government initiative.
“We wish to formally express our deep frustration, anger and disappointment over the federal government’s continued refusal to pay our outstanding stipends. For over three years, beneficiaries of the N-Power programme have endured extreme hardship caused by the government’s failure to honour its financial obligations”, the statement said.
The beneficiaries stated that patience among members had reached its limit, adding that the continued neglect had become unacceptable. They, therefore, issued a final 10-day ultimatum to the government to settle all outstanding payments owed to the 1,495,571 beneficiaries nationwide.
The group warned that failure by the government to meet the demand within the stipulated period would trigger a collective political response against the ruling party in future elections. “If all outstanding stipends owed to N-Power beneficiaries are not fully paid within the next 10 days, we will collectively take a decisive political stand. We will not vote for the All Progressives Congress at any level of government in future elections”, the statement added.
The beneficiaries maintained that their planned action represents a legitimate democratic response by citizens whose livelihoods have been negatively affected by what they described as years of neglect and unfulfilled promises.
They also urged the federal government to act swiftly in resolving the matter in order to restore confidence among young Nigerians who participated in the programme as part of efforts to tackle unemployment and empower youth across the country.
