The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has called for an investigation into the leadership of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over its failure to pay corps members the newly approved ₦77,000 monthly allowance. In a statement released on Monday, the NANS National Vice President, Inter-Campus Affairs, Akinbodunse Sileola Felicia, expressed disappointment that corps members were still receiving ₦33,000, months after the federal government approved the increment.
The federal government had announced the increase in corps members’ stipends from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000, following the enactment of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024. The approval was contained in a letter from the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission, dated September 25, 2024, and signed by its Chairman, Mr. Ekpo Nta. The NYSC Director-General, Brigadier-General Yushau Ahmed, had also assured corps members on January 30, 2025, that the new allowance would take effect from February 2025. However, when corps members received their stipends in February, it remained at ₦33,000, contrary to expectations.
Reacting to the delay, NANS accused the NYSC of withholding funds meant for corps members. “Findings by my office revealed that corps members received only ₦33,000 for their February allowance last Friday, against the ₦77,000 promised by the NYSC DG,” Felicia stated. She added that while federal and state governments had already begun implementing the new ₦70,000 minimum wage, NYSC had no justification for failing to adjust corps members’ allowances accordingly.
NANS urged the federal government to investigate the cause of the delay and compel the NYSC to provide explanations. The association warned that continued non-payment of the approved stipend could demoralize corps members, particularly amid rising inflation and economic hardship in the country. “It would amount to gross injustice on the part of corps members to still be receiving the old allowance months after approval and implementation by the federal government,” NANS said.
Despite its demand for a probe, NANS stated its willingness to engage with NYSC leadership to address the issue. Felicia assured that the student body would seek direct clarification from the NYSC to understand why corps members were yet to benefit from the new minimum wage structure. She also stressed the need for urgent intervention, given that NYSC staff members had already received their salary adjustments under the new federal pay structure.