Federal Government Vows to Settle Outstanding N77,000 NYSC Stipends

The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to clearing the backlog of the N77,000 monthly allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, months after announcing the increase.

The stipend, which was raised from N33,000 to N77,000 in September 2024, has yet to be disbursed despite previous assurances from the authorities.

The delay has caused uncertainty among corps members regarding when they will start receiving the new payment. However, while speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, confirmed that the government would ensure the pending payments are made.

Olawande assured that both current corps members and those who were in service at the time of the announcement would receive their accumulated stipends.

Government Addresses Delay, Assures Payment

Olawande acknowledged that while the government remains committed to fulfilling the payment, the process requires time.

“The backlog, we will work on it and make sure it is paid. It may not be immediate but it will happen,” he said during the interview.

His statement follows similar remarks by NYSC Director General Olakunle Nafiu, who recently informed corps members to expect payment by March.

Reason for the Delay

The minister clarified that the delay in disbursing the new allowance was due to budgetary challenges.

“I’ve explained this several times. Some people said, I always say ‘It is a process. It is a process.’ But it’s seriously a process. It’s a government line,” the minister stated.

He further explained that the allowance increase was not originally factored into the budget when it was announced by the president, making it necessary to secure proper funding before payments could be processed.

“Before anybody can approve anything, you must have a budgetary allocation for it. But the budgetary allocation has been done now. We are done with the process and it has been approved,” Olawande said.

Corps Members Anxiously Await New Allowance

The announcement of the NYSC stipend increase was initially welcomed with excitement, as it aligned with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.

However, the prolonged delay has led to frustration among both current corps members and those who were in the program at the time of the announcement in September 2024.

Despite the setbacks, the latest reassurances from the government provide hope that corps members will soon receive the long-awaited payments