In July, corps members and prospective participants of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) were excited by President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the new minimum wage legislation. Nigerian graduates from universities, polytechnics, and other institutions aged 30 and under are legally mandated to complete a one-year NYSC program.
The signing of the minimum wage bill resulted from extensive negotiations between government officials, labour unions, and private sector representatives. Previously, corps members received a monthly allowance of N33,000. With the wage increase, they expected their allowance to rise to N77,000. However, the excitement was short-lived as the NYSC quickly dispelled rumours of an imminent pay rise for corps members, a development that left many disappointed. Nonetheless, the commission acknowledged that the monthly stipends for corps members would be increased as soon as the federal government implements the new minimum wage.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Yusha’u Ahmed, addressed the issue while speaking at the orientation camps in Kebbi and Sokoto states. He explained that the delay in adjusting the corps members’ allowances was due to the government not yet implementing the new civil servant wages. “Corps members will see their allowances adjusted upwards as soon as the new minimum wage rollout begins for civil servants,” Brigadier General Ahmed assured.
The DG praised the corps members for their contributions to Nigeria’s socio-economic development and encouraged them to leverage their service year for personal growth and career planning. He also urged them to participate in the NYSC’s Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) program. This initiative aims to equip them with vocational skills to foster self-reliance and entrepreneurship. “We encourage you to learn a skill during and after your orientation that could enable you to become job creators rather than job seekers,” he stated.
Furthermore, General Ahmed reassured them that the NYSC has established partnerships with several reputable organizations such as the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank, Access Bank, and the NNPC Foundation. These collaborations are designed to support corps members with loans and grants.
Finally, the NYSC DG emphasized the commitment of the scheme to ensure the safety of all participants, advising them to remain vigilant and security-conscious throughout their service year.
