The prolonged wait had sparked concerns, particularly among outgoing NYSC corps members who had served under the previous stipend and feared they would miss out on the increment. Addressing this issue, the minister reiterated that the government was committed to paying all arrears.
Abuja, Nigeria – After months of anticipation and frustration, the Nigerian government has finally commenced payment of the new ₦77,000 monthly allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members.
Reports confirm that several corps members received credit alerts on Wednesday, reflecting the increased stipend and marking the end of prolonged delays that had led to protests and public outcry.
The development follows recent assurances from the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who, during a Channels TV interview, pledged that outstanding payments would be settled by the end of March. The delay had been attributed to budgetary constraints and bureaucratic hurdles, despite President Bola Tinubu’s earlier approval of the allowance increase.
Speaking in the interview, Olawande explained that while the president had given the go-ahead for the increment, its implementation required formal budgetary allocation.
“I have explained this several times. Some people say I always mention it’s a process, and it is seriously a process. It was not in the budget when the president announced it. Some agencies and parastatals need to have their salaries included in the budget before anything can be done or paid out,” he stated.
He emphasized that without necessary financial provisions, the approval alone was insufficient to facilitate immediate disbursement. However, he assured that all required processes had now been completed, allowing payments to begin.
The prolonged wait had sparked concerns, particularly among outgoing NYSC corps members who had served under the previous stipend and feared they would miss out on the increment. Addressing this issue, the minister reiterated that the government was committed to paying all arrears.
“You saw the new DG when they asked him, what about those who are going out now? Are they going to receive their backlogs? He said, ‘We have your account details; we will put it (the allowance) through.’ You may not like to hear this, but I can tell you the payment will happen at the end of this month,” Olawande reassured.
With the payment process now in motion, corps members nationwide have begun receiving their updated stipends, providing relief after months of uncertainty.
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