Aggrieved N-Power beneficiaries have officially withdrawn their lawsuit against the Federal Government after a high-level meeting with top government officials at the National Assembly on Monday, July 22, 2025. The decision followed lengthy deliberations involving Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs Dr. Nantawi Yalwatda, and the Minister of State for Housing.
Led by activist Dan Bello and legal representative Abba Hikima, the beneficiaries had earlier dragged the Federal Government to court on July 14, demanding the payment of two years’ unpaid stipends, ₦5 billion in damages, ₦50 million in legal fees, and an additional ₦1 million in relief. However, after receiving detailed briefings from Senate and ministry officials, they agreed to put legal action on hold in favor of continued dialogue.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin admitted that the backlog of stipends is a lingering issue inherited from the previous administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari. He assured the beneficiaries that the current administration under President Bola Tinubu is not only aware of the outstanding payments but is actively working to resolve them. He urged the aggrieved participants to trust the process, promising that payments would soon be completed.
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Dr. Nantawi Yalwatda, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, offered further clarification, revealing that the prolonged delay stemmed from ongoing investigations by anti-corruption agencies EFCC and ICPC into the management of the N-Power program by former ministers Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq and Dr. Betta Edu. She disclosed that although a special request for payment had been approved by the presidency, subsequent issues with the Ministry of Finance disrupted the disbursement.
Barrister Abba Hikima, who represented the beneficiaries in court, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the discussions and confirmed his intention to formally withdraw the lawsuit. “I am pleased with these explanations and will communicate the outcome of this meeting to the N-Power beneficiaries,” he said.
Kainde James, a factional chairman of the N-Power Association, described the meeting as productive and called on the Federal Government to follow through on its promises by finding a lasting solution to the recurring challenges plaguing the program.
The withdrawal of the lawsuit signals a temporary truce in the standoff between the N-Power beneficiaries and the Federal Government. However, with trust already stretched thin, all eyes are now on the Tinubu administration to deliver on its renewed hope agenda and restore confidence in one of the country’s most ambitious youth empowerment schemes.