After months of delays, the Nigerian government has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that the backlog of their increased monthly allowance will be paid. The new allowance, which was raised from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000 in September 2024, has faced repeated delays despite several assurances.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, confirmed the government’s commitment to pay the backlog during a televised interview. He stated that serving corps members, as well as those in the scheme at the time of the increase announcement, will receive backdated payments. Although the payment may not happen immediately, Olawande assured that it would be made soon.
The increment was initially announced in line with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024, with a promise to improve the financial welfare of corps members. However, it has been six months since the announcement, and the implementation has been delayed due to budgetary issues.
Lack of budgetary allocation had been cited as a primary reason for the delay. According to Olawande, it was necessary for the new allowance to be included in the budget before payments could commence. Now that the budgetary allocation has been made and approved, the process for payments is expected to begin.
The Director-General of NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, had earlier stated that corps members could expect the allowance to be implemented in March, and Olawande confirmed that this would indeed be the case.
Despite the long wait, the new allowance is seen as a positive step towards improving the welfare of Nigerian youths participating in the NYSC scheme.
