NYSC Allowance Increase Hits N307.6bn

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is projected to spend up to N307.6 billion on the mobilisation and payment of allowances to corps members, according to The PUNCH. This figure is based on the recent increase in corps members’ allowances from N33,000 to N77,000, as announced by the NYSC in September 2024. The increase followed the signing of the new minimum wage bill into law in May 2024.

On average, the NYSC mobilises between 1,200 and 1,500 corps members for the orientation exercise at camps across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This process takes place in three batches annually—A, B, and C—resulting in about 55,500 corps members per batch, and a total of 333,000 mobilised annually.

With the new allowance of N77,000 per corps member, the total payment for one batch amounts to N25.64 billion. Over the year, this brings the total cost of allowances to N307.6 billion.

In the 2025 budget, presented by President Bola Tinubu in December 2024, the Federal Government allocated N430.7 billion to the NYSC, marking the highest budgetary allocation in the past five years. Of this, N372.9 billion (86.5% of the total allocation) is earmarked for corps members’ allowances.

However, despite the announcement in September 2024, the new N77,000 allowance rate has not yet been implemented. The acting Director of Press and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, stated in February that the NYSC was still awaiting the necessary cash backing.

In a WhatsApp message, the newly appointed Director-General, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, reportedly assured that payments would begin in March. Attempts to reach the NYSC spokesperson for further comments were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered.