IT’S OFFICIAL: NYSC begins payment of N77k allowance to corps members

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has begun paying its members N77,000 as monthly allowance.

Some serving corps members confirmed to TheCable on Thursday that their stipend has increased with the scheme’s March 2025 payout.

Caroline Embu, the scheme’s national spokesperson, also earlier confirmed that the long-planned increase has been implemented.

Corps members receive a monthly stipend from the federal government to support their basic needs during the service year.

Earlier, the NYSC had stated that it would increase the monthly allowance for its corps members from N33,000 to N77,000.

In 1973 when the scheme was first established, corps members had received N100 as monthly stipend.

This gradually increased over the decades in response to economic realities.

By 2011, the allowance had risen to N19,800 and remained unchanged for nearly a decade.

In 2020, following the implementation of the new minimum wage, the federal government increased the stipend to N33,000 per month.

Corps members serving in certain states or private institutions were paid additional stipends by their employers.

However, those in federal agencies or underfunded sectors often relied solely on the allowance paid by the scheme.

Despite periodic adjustments, corps members have continued to advocate for higher stipends to match rising living costs.

After taking office, he pledged to address pending concerns around corps member welfare.