President Muhammadu Buhari has approved an increase in the number of N-Power beneficiaries from 500,000 to one million.
Buhari announced the approval in his Independence Day address on Friday.
He said, “Considering the positive impact of our Social Investment Programmes, I recently approved an increase in the number of N-Power programme beneficiaries from 500,000 to 1,000,000.”
The president also promised to bring more youths into governance to address youth restiveness across the country.
Buhari reiterated the federal government’s commitment to achieving its goal of lifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in 10 years.
He said, “Out of this, 510,000 have started the program while the competitive selection process for onboarding the outstanding 490,000 beneficiaries is in progress. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Program is currently being implemented in 35 States of the Federation and the FCT.
“Over 103,000 women have been engaged and empowered as cooks under the program, while about 10 million pupils are being fed across public primary schools in the country.
“To grant increased access to credit to the most poor and vulnerable, I have directed an increase in the disbursement of Government Enterprise and Empowerment Program loans to an additional one million beneficiaries laying more emphasis on the smallholding farmers through the farmers Moni program.”
Buhari also pledged to address the widespread discontent and disillusion about the efficiency and probity of the nation’s civil service.
He said, “It is for this reason that we are refocusing the Nigerian civil service to provide world-class service to run our country.
“The youths of this great country remain propellants for our today and provide guarantees that we would have a secure tomorrow. It is for this reason that I remain focused on expanding opportunities for their participation in politics and governance.
“Recent appointments of young people into positions of authority and their track record so far gives me confidence that we need to bring more of them into governance, and this I promise to do.”
