Why npower program may end after Buhari’s govt

Why npower program may end after Buhari’s govt – The Npower program is the headline scheme in President Buhari’s National Social Intervention Programs (NSIP), it is a two year term job for Nigerian youths across many sectors of the economy such as N-teach for education, N-Tech for technology, N-creative for arts, etc.

The program started in 2016 with the aim of reducing unemployment in the country and help increase social development. The scheme is created for unemployed graduates and non-graduates between the ages of 18 and 35.

It is a paid programme of a two-year duration, aimed at engaging beneficiaries in their states of residence. On 13 July 2019, Nigerian federal government disclosed that they have spent a total of ₦279b since they started paying the scheme beneficiaries from December 2016 to June 2019.

The scheme currently has six categories namely; N-Teach, N-Health, N-Agro, N-Build, N-Creative and N-Tech. N-Teach and N-Health are available to only graduates who must have completed the mandatory one year NYSC programme, while N-Agro, N-Build, N-Creative and N-Tech is available to graduates and non-graduates.

Can Npower survive after Buhari’s administration?

It is a known fact that the npower program have afforded Nigerian youths an opportunity for self-improvement and a meager salary morethan any other government program except the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), but as the Buhari administration is nearing its end questions about the long term plan for the program is beginning to emerge.

History has shown us that there is an issue with continuity of government program and policies in Nigeria which have resulted in abrupt end to youth empowerment programs in the past after the administration that started it hands over power to the next; for example, the Goodluck Jonathan government created the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program known as ‘SURE-P to re-investing the Federal Government savings from fuel subsidy removal on critical infrastructure projects and social safety net programmes, there was also YouWin program, a youth development scheme, established in Nigeria to empower Nigerian Youths. The program is a Private and Public initiative that finances outstanding business plans for the young, aspiring entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

If the above scenario plays out again it will be safe to say that the npower program will end after Buhari’s administration comes to an end.

In summary, the following factors along with change of government are reasons why npower program will end in 2023:

• Lack of continuity of government programs and policies
• Pressure of debt servicing by government will lead to less money to fund the Npower program
• Incompetence by program administrators