By Samuel Ogunsona
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members are expressing frustration and disappointment as the Federal Government has failed to implement the promised increase in their monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000.
Despite assurances from the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, that the allowance increment was a done deal, awaiting only the passage of the 2025 budget, corps members have continued to receive the old N33,000 stipend.
The development has raised widespread criticism, with many questioning the government’s commitment to the welfare of NYSC members.
A corps member serving in Lagos, who left his parents in Abuja to serve, broke down in tears while speaking to The Crest Online, saying, “Today is March 3, 2025, and I am yet to receive my February allowance.
“Many of us, especially Access Bank users, are yet to be paid, despite some receiving their N33,000 allowance on Friday”
Another 24-year-old female corps member in Lagos, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed her distrust in the Federal Government, saying, “I cannot trust them nor believe in any of their promises again.
“This money has been approved since last year, and we are yet to receive the N77,000 payment. We are frustrated, we left our various states to serve the nation, but unfortunately, the nation doesn’t appreciate our service with failed promises” she mentioned
However, in January 2025, the NYSC Director-General assured corps members that the new allowance would be paid starting in February 2025, but this promise has not been fulfilled.
The delay has left corps members struggling to make ends meet, with many finding it difficult to afford basic necessities like food, transportation, and accommodation
The failure to implement the promised allowance increase has further eroded trust in the Federal Government, which has been widely criticized for its economic policies that have worsened inflation, unemployment, and poverty across the country.
As one corps member serving in Oyo stated, “How do they expect us to survive on N33,000 when everything is expensive? They told us we would get N77,000 this month, and now they have failed again. This government keeps making promises but never delivers” She said.
