NDE records 411,906 applications for phase-2 job scheme

About 411,906 unemployed Nigerians between the ages of 18 and 45 years applied for the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) phase-2 Renewed Hope Employment Initiative, as at 11:59pm on Monday, 11 August, when the registration portal was shut down.

NDE Director General, Silas Agara, who disclosed this in Abuja when he addressed journalists on Wednesday, went to revealed that against the initial plan of engaging 27,000 persons, the agency has increased to number of prospective beneficiaries to 41,307, as a result of some development partners who indicated interest to support the programmes.

According to the DG, about 109,566 applications were received by the agency from the Northwest zone, 93,724 from Northeast, 83,924 North Central, 56,118 from the Southwest, 38,628 from the Southsouth and 29,946 from the Southeast States.

“We briefed the media the day we opened the portal for unemployed Nigerians within age bracket 18 to 45 year to apply for the phase-2 of the NDE’s Renewed Hope Employment Initiative (RHEI), therefore we thought it is wise to invite you again to let you know that we have shutdown the registration portal according to the two weeks timeline we scheduled for the registration.

“At this juncture, I want to inform Nigerians that as at the time we shut down the portal by 11:59 on Monday, 11 August, a number of 411,906 persons successfully applied for the employment programme. Prior to the development partners who have indicated interest in supporting NDE, we have also increased the number of beneficiaries from the initial 27,000 to 41,307. This is almost a hundred percent increase from the initial figure.”

The DG went further to add that; “Across the 37 States of the Federation including FCT, the selection process has started and at least 4 personers from each electoral ward will make the list of the beneficiaries. The NDE is ensuring transparency in the whole process and that we can bet you on.

“We told you earlier that everything about this programme will be done via online, therefore we are ensuring that it is only those who registered online and meet the required criteria that will be selected.

“Processing of applications commenced from 12 August and will last till 22 August, 2025. Final approval of the application and notification of the selected participants and posting will be done from 25 to 29 August, while the flag office of the training will be conducted on September 4 nationwide and this will herald the commencement of the training.”

Agara also stressed that the employment training programme was opened for all Nigerians to apply including persons with disabilities. Therefore, every Nigerian who has applied will be given equal opportunity accordingly to benefit from the Initiative.

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