Press statement from the presidency
All is now set for the deployment of 200,000 unemployed graduates
selected in the first batch of the Buhari administration’s plan to hire
half a million Nigerians.While the 200,000 have been selected about two
weeks ago, their names have now been sent to state governments and the
FCT who would deploy them to their specific programme assignments.
The names would also be published this week on the N-Power internet
portal, while the participants would start receiving SMS messages
informing them of their selection as from Monday November 21, 2016.
State governments and the FCT are also encouraged to post the names of
the successful first batch applicants in their local government areas
while there would be further public announcements.
Between now and the end of the month, the states and the FCT would be
engaged in deploying the graduates who would formally start working and
earning their stipends on December 1, 2016.
Of the 200,000 first batch, 150,000 of them would teach, 30,000 would
work in the Agric sector and 20,000 in Healthcare delivery covering the
three specific programme assignments.
The N-Power Volunteer Corps is an expression of President Muhammadu
Buhari’s commitment to invest in the human capital development of
Nigerian citizens, particularly our young people. The N-Power programmme
is also an innovative means to enhance ailing public services in the
area of basic education and primary healthcare. Also in the agric
sector, it is aimed at achieving self-sufficiency by giving our farmers
relevant advisory services.
The Federal Government of Nigeria hereby congratulates all 200,000
successful applicants in the first batch, and they are encouraged to
take this opportunity seriously by learning the skills that will
brighten their future. They are also implored to serve their communities
with commitment and dedication.
For those who have not been selected at this time, there is a waiting
list based on the total number of applicants, and subsequent batches
will absorb more of the qualified applicants.
All together, the N-Power will engage and train 500,000 young unemployed
graduates. It is a paid volunteering programme of a 2-year duration
that engages graduates in their immediate communities, where they will
assist in improving the inadequacies in the education, health, and
agriculture sectors.
The 500,000 graduates under the N-Power Corps programme will be trained
in skills that will enable them exit after two years to economically
viable job and business opportunities.
As part of the programme, the participnts would own tablets that will
contain information necessary for their specific engagements, as well as
information for their continuous training and developments.
Participants will be provided teaching, instructional, and advisory
solutions in 4 main focus areas, and will be paid a monthly stipend of
N30,000 during the programme. The 4 main focus areas are in basic
education, agriculture extension services, public health and community
education (civic and adult education).
Besides the N-Power programme for undergraduates, there are other
schemes for non-graduates. These are: N-Power Knowledge, which would
select 25,000 young Nigerians and N-Power Build 75,000, all of whom
shall be trained and paid during the duration of the scheme.
Laolu Akande
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity
In the Office of the Vice President
November 20, 2016