N77K NYSC Allawee: Nigerian Govt Speaks On Payment Of Backlog, Details Emerge

• After several months of delay, the Nigerian government has announced that it will pay the backlog of the new N77,000 monthly allowance for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
• Legit.ng recalls that the government announced the allowance increase in September 2024, but despite multiple assurances, the increase has yet to be implemented
• Ayodele Olawande, the minister of youth development, stated that the government would pay the N77,000 allowance to both serving corps members and those who were in the programme when the increase was first announced

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering governance.

FCT, Abuja - The federal government on Monday, March 24, assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that the backlog of their newly-approved N77,000 monthly allowance will be paid.

Legit.ng reports that the assurance comes amid months of delay.

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Speaking on Channels Television’s 'Politics Today', monitored by Legit.ng, minister of youth development, Ayodele Olawande, reaffirmed the Bola Tinubu's administration commitment to fulfilling its promise to corps members.

Olawande said:

“The backlog, we will work on it and make sure it is paid. It may not be immediate, but it will happen. You saw the new DG (Olakunle Nafiu) saying that you will get it, and they’re asking him a question ‘What are those that are going out now, are they going to receive it (backlog)?’ He said we have your details."

Recall that the government in September 2024 announced an upward review of corps members’ allowance from N33,000 to N77,000, aligning with the national minimum wage (Amendment) Act 2024. However, six months after the announcement, Corps members are yet to receive the new pay.

Last week, NYSC boss, Brigadier General Nafiu, assured corps members that payments would begin in March. Olawande corroborated this, emphasising that administrative and budgetary processes were responsible for the delay.

The minister explained:

“I’ve explained this several times. Some people say I always say, ‘It is a process.’ But it’s seriously a process. It was not in the budget when the president announced it, and for some agencies and parastatals, you need your salary to be in the budget before it is paid."

Furthermore, the minister noted that necessary approvals have now been secured.

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He said:

“The budgetary allocation has been done. We are done with the process, it has been approved, it has been signed, and now they can start paying it."

NYSC members indifferent

Meanwhile, some NYSC members who are entitled to the backlog spoke to Legit.ng. The corps members are conscious of past assurances by Nigerian authorities and would save their jubilation till when the bank alerts drop.

Ogun-based Adekoya Hassan said:

"We would not celebrate until we see alerts. Audio doings from NYSC are too common lately."

A sceptical Laureen Ngoka said:

"The minister's assertion is only relevant when the backlog has been paid. Right now, we classify it as mere rumour."

Jibrin Sa'eed, from Kaduna state, said:

"Until we see it, we don't believe them. Remember the Tinubu administration promised to do this months back, but they did not."

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Why NYSC delayed N77k new allawee

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the NYSC blamed funding for the delay in paying corps members the new N77,000 allowance.

The NYSC attributed its inability to commence payment of the allowance to corps members on lack of “cash backing.”

NYSC spokesperson, Caroline Embu, stated this in response to a media inquiry.