Despite promises by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to increase corps members’ monthly allowance to ₦77,000 starting February 2025, the Tinubu-led government has continued paying the old ₦33,000 stipend, leaving corps members disappointed.
Multiple corps members confirmed receiving their February allowance on Friday night, only to discover that it remained at ₦33,000, contradicting the assurances given in January by NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed.
Ahmed had previously announced that the allowance increment was already approved, pending the passage of the 2025 budget. He assured corps members in Katsina State that by February, they would start receiving ₦77,000.
However, with February gone, the promise remains unfulfilled, and the Federal Government has provided no explanation for the delay, fueling frustration among corps members struggling with Nigeria’s worsening economic crisis.
With inflation at an all-time high and the cost of living skyrocketing, many corps members are unable to afford basic necessities like food, transportation, and accommodation.
A corps member serving in Oyo State expressed disappointment, saying:
“How do they expect us to survive on ₦33,000 when everything is expensive? They promised ₦77,000, and now they have failed again. This government keeps making promises but never delivers.”
Another corps member in Kano lamented that the delay is yet another example of the government’s insensitivity to young Nigerians.
“We are serving our country, yet we can’t afford decent meals. The government knows ₦33,000 is not enough, but they don’t care. They keep making empty promises while we suffer,” she said.
The failure to implement the promised allowance increase has further eroded trust in the Tinubu administration, which is already facing backlash over its economic policies, rising inflation, and worsening unemployment.
Credit: Sahara Reporters
