National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has confirmed that all corps members discharged lately will receive the arrears of the recently approved N77,000 new monthly allowance.
This follows the federal government’s implementation of the new minimum wage.
According to Gistreel, NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Akinlayo Nafiu made the disclosure on Thursday at Batch A 2025 pre-mobilisation workshop in Abuja.
The workshop, which consisted of corps-producing institution heads as well as other stakeholders, deliberated on the matter of mobilisation and reform issues.
Brig. Gen. Nafiu maintained that the government is still concerned about the corps members’ welfare and assured to begin paying the arrears as soon as the funds are released.
“Even those who just passed out will be paid. As soon as we receive the cash backing for the arrears, we will credit them. We have all their bank details,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to have faith in the system, saying, “The government is both responsible and responsive to the needs of its citizens.”
The federal government had started paying the revised N77,000 monthly allowance to serving corps members last month—near eight months since President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law.
But the workshop also raised outstanding issues in the NYSC scheme. Director of Corps Mobilisation Mohammed Abubakar raised concern over the continued issue of some tertiary institutions mobilizing unqualified candidates illegally.
“We have achieved tremendous progress through enhanced synergy and innovative thinking.
But the case of institutions uploading unqualified graduates for mobilization is still an issue. This has to be addressed on a priority basis,” Abubakar said.
In a call for broader change, Youth Development Minister Ayodele Olawande urged the modernization of the NYSC scheme to capture the reality of the time and the “Renewed Hope Agenda” of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“NYSC was created in 1973 for a reason, but the times have changed. We must reform the scheme to make our graduates competitive for the labour market of today,”
Olawande insisted, urging concerted efforts between stakeholders and the government.
