After months of delays, the Nigerian government has begun disbursing the long-awaited ₦77,000 monthly allowance to National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Edugist confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that several corps members received credit alerts reflecting the new stipend, marking an end to a prolonged wait that had sparked protests and concerns.
The development follows assurances from Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who recently stated during a Channels TV interview that the backlog would be cleared by the end of March.
For months, the government cited budgetary constraints and bureaucratic processes as reasons for the delay, despite President Bola Tinubu’s earlier approval of the increase. Addressing the concerns, Olawande explained, “It was not in the budget when the president announced it. Some agencies and parastatals need to have their salaries included in the budget before anything can be done or paid out.”
His repeated reassurances, however, were met with scepticism from corps members, particularly those whose service year ended before the payments began. Many had questioned whether they would receive arrears for the months they served under the previous stipend.
Olawande, in response, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to clearing outstanding payments. “You saw the new DG when they asked him about those who are going out now. He said, ‘We have your account details; we will put it through.’ I can tell you the payment will happen at the end of this month.”
While the increased allowance is a welcome relief, concerns persist over whether it is sufficient given Nigeria’s rising cost of living. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), as of December 2024, the average cost of a bus trip in Nigerian cities was ₦923.8—meaning a corps member could afford only about 83 trips in a month if they spent their entire stipend on transportation alone.
Despite these concerns, the long-awaited implementation of the new NYSC allowance signals a step toward addressing the welfare of Nigerian youths undergoing national service.
