N-Power Programme and Poverty Reduction in Niger State, Nigeria

One of the greatest challenges facing Nigerian economy today is poverty. The menacing of social and economic problem of poverty in Nigeria like many developing countries past governments to introduced N-power programme aimed at reducing poverty in Nigeria particularly State. The study examines N-power Programme and poverty reduction in Niger State, Nigeria. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with the population of 31,107 beneficiaries benefited from N-power programmes. To determine the sample size, Taro Yamane formula was adopted where the study arrived at 392. The study revealed that there exist negative perceptions among these beneficiaries regarding the programme's effectiveness in addressing these critical issues. The study further identifies several key factors affecting the implementation of N-Power programmes toward poverty alleviation in Niger State. These factors range from administrative challenges such as insufficient information and website/internet hiccups to more systemic issues like non-payment of stipends, bribery and corruption, and political interference. Given the identified challenge of inadequate funding as a hindrance to N-power's effectiveness, it is recommended that the government and relevant stakeholders increase the programme's funding allocation. This will ensure sustained program activities, expand outreach to more beneficiaries, and provide resources for comprehensive capacity-building initiatives beyond short-term employment.