The Federal Government has launched the third phase of its Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, known as Renewed Hope GEEP (RHGEEP 3.0), with a target of reaching five million beneficiaries by 2027.
Speaking at a national stakeholders’ roundtable in Abuja on Thursday, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Badamasi Lawal, said the new phase represents a recalibration of the scheme, anchored on trust, consistency, and accountability.
“This gathering reflects our collective commitment to deepen financial inclusion, expand access to credit for small businesses, and empower our people, particularly women, youth, artisans, petty traders, and smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s informal economy,” Lawal said.
He explained that the event, convened under the theme “Building Trust, Strengthening Transparency, and Scaling Impact through Financial Inclusion,” was not just about policy discussions but about addressing “the very economic heartbeat of our nation: access to affordable credit for the underserved.”
The programme, which began under the National Social Investment Programmes, is designed to provide micro-credit and financial support to millions of Nigerians at the base of the economic pyramid.
Through schemes such as TraderMoni, MarketMoni, and FarmerMoni, Lawal noted, GEEP has helped expand micro-enterprises, restore dignity, and provide opportunities for those excluded from formal financial systems.
While acknowledging the successes of GEEP 1.0 and 2.0, he said the new phase marks a deliberate shift in focus.
“Distinguished stakeholders, RHGEEP 3.0 is not a mere continuation; it is a recalibration. It represents a conscious shift in how we approach microcredit, anchored on:
- Trust: Re-establishing confidence with beneficiaries, the wider public, and stakeholders.
- Consistency: Ensuring equity in access and fairness in process.
- Accountability: Clear enforcement of obligations, particularly repayment.
“Our goal is to reach five million beneficiaries by 2027, with a strong and positive repayment culture.
This is ambitious, but it is achievable if we work in alignment,” he stated.
According to him, lessons from the earlier phases highlight the need to strengthen transparency and accountability, improve repayment mechanisms, expand digital inclusion through fintech partnerships, and deepen collaboration with state and local governments.
Lawal commended the National Programme Manager of GEEP and his team, as well as technical partners System Strategy and Policy Lab and Sydani Group, for their support in designing the new strategy.
He emphasised that the success of RHGEEP 3.0 would depend on strong partnerships between government, financial institutions, and civil society, alongside effective communication with the public.
“This administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, recognises both the urgency and the opportunity to transform GEEP into a more accountable, impactful, and sustainable intervention,” he added.
