Great news for recent National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) graduates! The Nigerian government has confirmed that it will pay the long-awaited arrears for the N77,000 monthly allowance to all Corps members, including those who have already completed their service.
The assurance came from Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, Director-General of NYSC, during the Batch A 2025 pre-mobilization workshop in Abuja. Nafiu emphasized that the government is committed to fulfilling its promise, ensuring the funds are disbursed as soon as they are available.
“Once the funds are released to us, we will make the payments,” Nafiu said. “Even the Corps members who have passed out recently will get their arrears. We have their bank details, so there’s no cause for concern.”
This payment comes eight months after President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law. The government started disbursing the new allowance last month, and the arrears will soon be credited to the accounts of the Corps members.
NYSC Reform on the Horizon
While the NYSC allowance payment is good news, Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, hinted that the NYSC program itself is due for reform to meet the evolving needs of Nigeria’s workforce.
“Since the scheme was established in 1973, things have changed. We must adapt to a modern society and job market,” said Olawande. “The NYSC must continue to evolve to better prepare graduates for the challenges they will face in their careers.”
He stressed that the reform process should be a collective effort between the government, the NYSC, and other stakeholders to build an adaptive and inclusive scheme for future generations.
Collaborative Efforts for a Better NYSC
Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, also assured NYSC of continued support during the service year. Represented by Abdullahi Suleiman, the Mandate Secretary of Youth and Sports, Wike affirmed that the FCT administration would collaborate closely with the NYSC to ensure its objectives are met.
