March 25, 2025 – Abuja, Nigeria.

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to paying the backlog of the new N77,000 monthly allowance to members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), after months of delay. The assurance comes on the back of repeated assurances by government officials and growing agitation among serving corps members, who are yet to be paid the improved allowance despite its official release in September 2024.

In a statement on a national television program, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, confirmed that both serving and past corps members, who were registered in the scheme as of the announcement in September 2024, would receive the arrears. However, he cautioned that while the government was making every effort to clear the arrears, it may not be imminent.

A Delayed Promise

The federal government announced in September 2024 with fanfare that it would increase corps members’ monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000, based on the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024. The youths took the announcement with jubilation and were eager to see the new allowance become effective. Despite repeated promises by government officials, however, the aforementioned allowance has not been paid, precipitating massive outrage and disappointment among corps members.

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After months of anticipation, including promises by the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, who last week reiterated that the new allowance would take off in March 2025, the federal government has now provided a clearer timeline. Olawande, who was a guest on Channels Television’s “Politics Today,” confirmed that the corps members would receive the long-awaited pay but explained that the process would not be instantaneous.

The delay in payment of the N77,000 allowance has largely been as a result of administrative and budgetary issues. Olawande explained that the new allowance was not included in the original budget and therefore there were delays in processing the allocations necessary. “You cannot do a corner piece to do it,” Olawande explained, saying that for any payment to be made, there must be a budgetary allocation approved first. He explained that the process had now been finalized, with approvals sought and received, and payments would commence in no time.

The Minister went on to reassure corps members by pointing out that the bureaucratic processes, while time-consuming, were important in facilitating the orderly disbursement of funds. “It was not provided for when the announcement was made by the president, and in the case of some parastatals and agencies, you have to have your salary budgeted before you can be paid,” he explained. With the budgetary provision now signed and approved, Olawande was hopeful that the process would soon be completed and the payments made.

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Backlog Payment Confirmation

The Minister’s announcement was a direct response to protests by the corps members and members of the public regarding the backlog of unpaid allowances. Both the current corps members and those who were in the scheme when the allowance increase was first announced in 2024 will be given backdated pay, Olawande explained. He informed them that the government had their records and the late payments would be settled, albeit in instalments.

Olawande also addressed a question on whether the corps members who are about to pass out of service would enjoy the backlog payment. He confirmed that the corps members would also be covered in the backlog payment exercise, so that no one would be left out. “We have your details,” he said to them, referring to the records kept by the NYSC.

The Role of NYSC

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been central to the payment process. The Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, had earlier expressed optimism that the new allowance would be implemented in March. His claim was backed by the Minister of Youth Development, who emphasized ensuring the payment process is carried out in a proper manner.

While the delay has understandably frustrated some corps members, the government has maintained that the process of disbursement is a routine one and that every step is necessary to ensure the hitch-free distribution of funds. Olawande conceded the hardship borne by corps members but assured that their patience would soon be rewarded with the much-awaited increase in their monthly allowances.

Addressing the Criticism

Aside from the issue of the delayed allowance, Minister Ayodele Olawande also reacted to recent news on the case of a single corps member, Ushie Uguamaye, who criticized President Bola Ahmed Tinubu through social media. The criticism had generated concern about whether or not Uguamaye would be disciplined.

Olawande was prompt to debunk such rumors, asserting that no disciplinary action would be initiated against the corps member. “The girl (Uguamaye) has not been threatened. No panel has been established against her, and she will not be facing any disciplinary process,” Olawande said, clarifying that Uguamaye’s case was not unusual.

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The Minister reiterated that youths, indeed all Nigerians, have the right to freedom of speech. He said it was natural for individuals to voice such discontent in a democracy. “If somebody is not satisfied with something and feels that something is happening, they shouldn’t be afraid to come out and talk,” Olawande said.

His words mirrored the government’s position on the importance of free speech, even if it means criticism of the country’s leadership. Olawande pointed out that President Tinubu himself had been criticized over the years, asserting that Uguamaye’s case was not an isolated incident of political discourse.

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The federal government’s guarantee to pay the arrears of the N77,000 monthly allowance to the corps members is a significant step in easing the suffering of the youth who are participating in the NYSC scheme. As much as the delay has been annoying, the government has stated that the processes necessary have now been concluded and payment would be made in due course.

To the corps members who have been waiting for several months, this latest assurance by the Minister of Youth Development and NYSC hierarchy is a bit of optimism that the promised increase in allowance would finally become a reality. Nevertheless, just as Olawande succinctly warned, the payments would not necessarily be with immediate effect, yet there is the determination by the government to ensure all eligible corps members are paid their due backdated allowances.

The government also made it clear in categorical terms that there would be no punishment or disciplinary action taken against corps members for speaking their minds or criticism. With the government’s agenda to guarantee timely payment of allowances and safeguard the right to freedom of speech, the future of the NYSC program seems poised for greater transparency and responsiveness to young Nigerians’ concerns.

As corps members await the fate of the delayed payment, they are encouraged to remain patient as the government drives the process to a closure. The payment of the backlog is expected to once and for all put an end to the months of waiting, offering some financial relief to the young Nigerians who offer their services to the country through the NYSC program.

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