The Federal Government has commenced the payment of the revised N77, 000 monthly allowance for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Several corps members confirmed receiving credit alerts reflecting the increased stipend on Wednesday, ending the prolonged wait that had led to frustration and protests.
This comes just days after the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, assured Nigerians during a television interview that payments would be made by the end of March.
However, while the new stipend has been disbursed, arrears owed to corps members remain unsettled.
A source in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) confirmed that the outstanding arrears were not paid alongside the new allowance. The official explained that the government was still working on the details and assured that the backlogs would be cleared soon.
The increase in corps members’ allowances was first announced in September 2023, raising the monthly stipend from N33, 000 to N77, 000 to align with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024.
Despite the approval, implementation stalled due to financial constraints and administrative processes.
Speaking on the matter, Olawande defended the government’s slow response, stating that while President Bola Tinubu had approved the raise months ago, the required budgetary allocations were not in place at the time.
“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 said.
The Minister clarified that the necessary budgetary adjustments had now been completed, allowing the government to proceed with payments.
“Anybody can approve anything, but you must have a budgetary allocation for it. Now, they are done with the process. It has been approved and signed. Now, they can start taking it,” he added.
The Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, also gave assurances last week that corps members would begin receiving payments this month.
While the disbursement of the N77, 000 allowance marks a significant milestone, corps members continue to anticipate the resolution of pending arrears, hoping that the government follows through on its promises without further delays.