The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development said over 5 million applicants applied for the third batch of the N-Power programme.
The Minister, Sadiya Farouk, said women and persons living with disabilities would be priotised during the selection process.
The programme which is expected to absorb only 400,000 applicants is part of the social investment programmes of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant to the Minister on Strategic Communication, Halima Oyelade, the online portal which was opened on 26th June, 2020 closed for applications on 9th August 2020.
She revealed that as at the time of closure, a total of 5,042,001 applications were successfully concluded.
The Minister 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.
Farouk 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.
