Outstanding N81bn Allowance: Senate’s Intervention Raises Hope Of N-Power Beneficiaries

The Senate on Tuesday rekindled hope for beneficiaries of the N-Power programme across the country regarding the payment of outstanding £81 billion in monthly allowances by the Federal Government.

The intervention came through the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin, who brokered an understanding between the federal government, aggrieved beneficiaries of the scheme—still owed 2022 and 2023 monthly allowances totalling N81 billion—and their counsel, Barrister Abba Hikima.

After a two-hour tripartite meeting in his office, the Deputy Senate President told journalists that the beneficiaries, who are owed several months of unpaid allowances inherited by the current administration, have agreed to halt their intended litigation against the Federal Government.

He said: “The beneficiaries came here to the Senate to seek my intervention. I then called the Minister, and he was very responsive.

“He came on board, and there was a fruitful discussion that led them to understand that the Minister had already gone very far in preparing for the payment of the money.

“So, having been convinced that there is a clear intention on the part of the government to ensure the money is paid, they have now decided to back down and suspend legal action. I assured them that this is a government that is responsive and committed to ensuring that no one is deprived of what is due to them, in line with the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

“Though the problem was inherited, the present government—as clearly stated and assured by the Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development—is doing everything possible to resolve it, including paying the outstanding allowances.”

Also speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the Minister said the intervention by the Deputy Senate President yielded positive results for all parties involved—the Federal Government and the N-Power beneficiaries.

“I want to first thank the Deputy Senate President for convening this meeting to address an issue that has lingered for years—the payment of the backlog owed to N-Power beneficiaries.

“We acknowledge that we owe them, and the debt arose from the 2022 and 2023 budgets, which were not paid. Because the items were recurrent, they lapsed with the budget year.

“There was no provision for the payments in the 2024 and 2025 budgets, so we sought funding through the service-wide vote. We received approval, but it came too late for last year. Now, we are working on securing approval for this year so that, once the 2025 budget is implemented, we can find a way to pay the beneficiaries.

“Being a responsive government, we’re not denying the debt. It is an issue we are committed to resolving, and it will surely be resolved before the end of the year,” he said.

Confirming the decision to suspend litigation due to the Senate’s intervention, the counsel to the beneficiaries, Barrister Abba Hikima, said:

“As explained by the Honourable Minister, the government owes my clients about N81 billion. He has given us his word that they are working on it and are waiting for the 2025 budget implementation. As soon as that begins, they can access their money.

“Although I’m their lawyer, I sincerely appreciate the effort of the Deputy Senate President who, despite not being directly affected, took it upon himself to convene this meeting, as well as the Honourable Minister of State and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs.

“They have all given us their assurances, and we have accepted them. We are confident and hopeful that the money will be paid within this year.”

The Chairman of the N-Power Beneficiaries in Nigeria, Kehinde James, thanked the Deputy Senate President for his intervention and expressed appreciation to the two ministers for their reassurances.