Over 5 million applications have been received from Nigerians for the third batch of the N-Power programme, the DAILY VENDOR gathered on Tuesday.
The portal which opened on June 26, was scheduled to close on July 26, but was extended by two weeks.
The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development in a statement by the Special Adviser to the Minister on Strategic Communication, Halima Oyelade, disclosed that the online application ended on Sunday, August 9, with a total of 5,042,001 applications.
Going by what the Ministry announced earlier, only 400,000 applicants will be considered after the conclusion of enrollment for batch C.
The Minister, Hajiya Sadiya Farouq, stated that women and persons with disability will be prioritized during the selection process.
She also re-assured Nigerians that due diligence will be applied during the next stage of selection to ensure that only duly qualified applicants are enrolled.
The minister added that her Ministry will ensure that the applicants, as well as the general public, are kept fully informed on the progress of the scheme.
She also explained that the N-Power programme is aimed at providing Nigerian youths with opportunities to gain skills for employability and entrepreneurship which will also, go a long way in assisting the country towards the post-COVID-19 economic recovery.
The minister reiterated her Ministry’s commitment to the vision of President Muhammadu Buhari to lift 100 Hundred million Nigerians out of Poverty in the next l0 years.
According to her, the N-power programme is one of the platforms that can assist in the realization of that vision.
