The Federal Government has unveiled the third phase of its Government Enterprise and Empowerment Programme, tagged Renewed Hope GEEP (RHGEEP 3.0), with an ambitious plan to empower five million Nigerians by 2027. The initiative, aimed at expanding financial inclusion and access to credit, was formally launched during a national stakeholders’ roundtable held in Abuja on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), Badamasi Lawal, described RHGEEP 3.0 as a recalibration of the empowerment scheme, anchored on trust, consistency, and accountability. He said the new phase is designed to empower women, youth, artisans, petty traders, and smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Nigeria’s informal economy.
Lawal explained that the earlier phases of GEEP, through initiatives such as TraderMoni, MarketMoni, and FarmerMoni, had provided micro-credit and financial support to millions of Nigerians. However, RHGEEP 3.0, he said, represents a deliberate shift in focus towards strengthening transparency, building repayment culture, and leveraging technology to expand financial inclusion. “Our goal is to reach five million beneficiaries by 2027, with equity, fairness, and accountability guiding every process,” he stated.
He noted that lessons from previous phases highlighted the need to improve repayment systems, deepen partnerships with fintech platforms, and enhance collaboration with state and local governments. The NSIPA boss commended the GEEP programme team and its technical partners, System Strategy and Policy Lab and Sydani Group, for supporting the design and rollout of the new strategy.
Lawal stressed that the success of RHGEEP 3.0 would depend on strong partnerships between government, financial institutions, civil society, and the public. “This administration, under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, recognises both the urgency and the opportunity to transform GEEP into a more accountable, impactful, and sustainable intervention,” he added.
