The National Directorate of Employment (NDE) is notifying successful applicants for Phase 3 of the Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), as previous participants complain they completed training without receiving promised support.
In Facebook posts, people identifying themselves as Phase 2 beneficiaries described unpaid stipends, small payments and uncertainty over starter equipment. One participant from Katsina State wrote that they had not received “a single kobo”. Another said some trainees received ₦10,000 while others received nothing.
A participant who said they took part in the Graduate Coaching Scheme (GCS) Phase II in Nasarawa State alleged that trainees were not paid. The participant said representatives approached the state coordinator and were told the programme had not been captured in the previous year’s budget.
Other commenters called the initiative a “waste of time” and accused officials of making promises that had not been fulfilled. One alleged that places went to officials’ family members and friends, but provided no evidence. Another asked whether trainees would receive equipment after training.
The complaints come as the NDE proceeds with RHEI Phase 3, which is expected to train 26,961 unemployed Nigerians in 70 vocational and entrepreneurial skill areas. More than 200,000 people reportedly applied for the available places.
NDE Director-General Silas Agara disclosed that 33,692 Nigerians completed training under Phase 2, but 4,651 still had outstanding stipends. He said resettlement packages were also delayed because the 2025 capital budget had not been released. The agency says it will settle outstanding obligations when funds become available.
Some former trainees remain frustrated, questioning why another phase is progressing while earlier participants are still waiting. Their accounts do not prove the programme is a scam or that every beneficiary went unpaid, but they raise questions about payment timelines and delivery of promised support.
How to apply
The RHEI Phase 3 registration portal is closed. Applicants who registered should monitor official NDE channels and https://www.nderegistrationportal.ng/ for selection updates. The NDE has urged applicants to rely on official communications and not pay anyone claiming they can guarantee selection.