Beyond handouts: Who really benefits from empowerment in Nigeria?

State governments across Nigeria roll out empowerment programmes every year grants, skills training, tools, and promises of economic relief. But do these initiatives truly empower citizens, or are they carefully branded cycles of exploitation and recycled corruption? In this episode, we interrogate Nigeria’s state-led empowerment projects: how they are designed, who really benefits, and why many fail to deliver long-term impact. Drawing from real examples, policy gaps, and lived experiences, the conversation goes beyond political rhetoric to examine accountability, sustainability, and the cost of empowerment without structure. This is not an attack  it is a critical reflection on what empowerment should mean in a country grappling with poverty, unemployment, and public distrust. Who Should Listen -Policymakers and government officials at state and local levels -Journalists, podcasters, and development storytellers -Civil society organisations and development practitioners -Youth leaders, entrepreneurs, and programme beneficiaries -Citizens interested in governance, accountability, and public finance -Students of public policy, political science, and development studies What Listeners Will Gain -A clearer understanding of how state empowerment programmes work — and where they break down -Insight into the political economy behind empowerment projects in Nigeria -Tools to question, assess, and track the real impact of government interventions -Perspectives on what sustainable, dignity-driven empowerment should look like -Language and framing for holding leaders accountable without partisan bias