National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members have voiced their growing frustration with the Federal Government’s continued failure to implement the promised N77,000 monthly allowance, which was supposed to begin in February 2025.
In July 2024, the Federal Government approved an increase in the monthly allowance for corps members from N33,000 to N77,000, citing the need to help corps members cope with rising living costs. However, despite the promise, the NYSC has yet to begin disbursing the new amount, leaving many corps members disillusioned and struggling to make ends meet.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Yushau Ahmed, had announced that corps members would begin receiving the increased allowance in February 2025. However, as of now, many corps members report that they only received the original N33,000 allowance for February. This has led to widespread dissatisfaction among those serving across the country.
A corps member serving in Abia State, who requested anonymity, expressed deep disappointment, accusing the government of insincerity in fulfilling its promises. “The N33,000 is not enough for us. The PPA (Place of Primary Assignment) doesn’t provide accommodation, and we have to cover that ourselves,” she explained. “Feeding, accommodation, and transportation costs are a huge burden, and the allowance doesn’t even come close to covering these expenses. Many of us also contribute to food costs in the fellowship houses, which leaves us with even less.”
She added, “PPAs don’t pay well; some only give as little as N4,000. After adding that to my N33,000 allowance, I’m still struggling to survive. The situation is unbearable, and the Federal Government’s failure to deliver the promised N77,000 is frustrating.”
Another corps member, serving in Osun State, echoed similar concerns, saying, “This N33,000 is totally inadequate. My monthly expenses go well beyond N70,000, and transportation alone costs me over N12,000. I’ve even had to call my mother for financial help because the allowance is not enough to cover basic needs.”
A corps member in Lagos expressed frustration, saying, “It’s hard to understand how they expect us to survive on N33,000 with all the hardships in the country. We were promised N77,000, yet nothing has changed.”
When contacted for comment, the Director of Communications for the NYSC, Carol Embu, did not respond to phone calls or text messages. However, a senior NYSC official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the scheme had not yet begun disbursing the increased allowance.
“We are yet to start payment for the new allowance,” the official said.
The ongoing delay in fulfilling the promise has left corps members feeling neglected, as they continue to struggle with inadequate financial support during their service year. Many are now calling on the Federal Government to act swiftly and honor its commitment to improve the welfare of young Nigerians serving the nation.
