….NYCN youth advocate calls for affordable accommodation and safer housing for corps members
The Corpers’ Journey Advocacy Network (CJAN) has called for a national housing policy to address accommodation challenges facing National Youth Service Corps members across Nigeria.
Taiwo Ajayi, Founder of CJAN and Director, Youth Advocacy and Policy, National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), said housing should become a central part of corps members’ welfare.
Ajayi said young graduates deployed outside their home states should not be left to independently shoulder the cost and risks of securing accommodation.
The call comes as the Federal Government implements a broad reform of the NYSC, with the Federal Executive Council approving the first holistic review of the scheme in its 53-year history in June 2026. The reforms include improved camp standards and a national grading and certification system for orientation camps.
CJAN proposes national housing framework
CJAN is advocating a coordinated housing framework involving NYSC, state governments, employers, host communities and private developers.
The framework would require employers unable to provide accommodation to offer appropriate housing support to corps members.
The network also wants state governments to rehabilitate existing NYSC lodges and ensure they meet basic safety and habitability standards.
The NYSC’s own framework recognises accommodation as part of the welfare responsibilities associated with the scheme. Its official structure lists the provision of accommodation, boarding, transportation and other essential welfare facilities among responsibilities at the state level. (NYSC Portal)
₦77,000 allowance faces housing pressure
The accommodation debate has become more significant following the increase in the Federal Government’s monthly allowance for corps members.
The allowance was raised from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000 in 2024 following the new minimum wage legislation.
However, CJAN argues that the allowance alone cannot resolve accommodation challenges in areas where rents and transportation costs consume a substantial portion of a corps member’s income.
The network is therefore calling for a separate and structured housing-support mechanism rather than relying solely on the monthly allowance.
Existing rules place obligations on employers
The NYSC Act and related official guidance already contain provisions on accommodation.
The NYSC Act states that employers should provide basic accommodation to corps members or pay an allowance in lieu of accommodation. (NYSC)
NYSC guidance also states that employers should provide modest accommodation or a reasonable allowance and transport support where applicable.
CJAN wants stronger enforcement of these provisions so corps members do not have to negotiate their basic housing needs individually with employers.
CJAN wants affordable corps-member housing
Ajayi said government should explore partnerships with private developers to establish affordable accommodation close to major Places of Primary Assignment.
The proposed facilities could operate as subsidised hostels or low-cost rental housing specifically designed for corps members.
A similar approach has already been demonstrated in parts of the country.
In October 2025, the Niger Delta Development Commission handed over a fully furnished 10-room corps members’ lodge to NYSC in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. The NDDC said the project was intended to provide decent accommodation and improve corps members’ service delivery.
CJAN believes such partnerships could be expanded nationally.
NYCN pushes youth welfare into reform debate
As Director of Youth Advocacy and Policy at NYCN, Ajayi said youth organisations should have a stronger voice in the ongoing reform of the national service scheme.
The Federal Government’s approved NYSC reforms already place emphasis on youth empowerment, skills development, productivity and improved camp standards.
Ajayi said housing should form part of that broader reform agenda because accommodation affects the safety, mobility and welfare of young Nigerians during their service year.
He said NYCN and youth-focused organisations should be involved in policy discussions that directly affect corps members.
CJAN proposes accommodation database
CJAN is also advocating a verified accommodation database for corps members.
The proposed system could provide information on available housing, rental costs, distance from PPAs and basic safety conditions.
Such a database could reduce the risks associated with newly deployed corps members searching for accommodation through unverified contacts.
It could also help participants compare available options before committing their limited resources.
Female corps members face additional risks
CJAN is calling for specific consideration of female corps members in any national accommodation policy.
The network said safe accommodation should be prioritised because newly deployed participants can face additional risks when forced to depend on strangers or unsuitable housing.
The supplied report documented an account of a female corps member in Abuja who faced harassment after temporarily staying with a family acquaintance before securing alternative accommodation.
CJAN said accommodation policy should therefore consider safety alongside affordability and location.
Existing housing challenges remain widespread
The accommodation problem is not limited to one state.
The supplied report documented corps members facing housing difficulties in Abuja, Ogun, Plateau, Kaduna, Kwara, Kano, Abia and Sokoto.
Some reportedly relied on fellow corps members, relatives, religious organisations or community support.
Others had to rent accommodation themselves, sometimes far from their PPAs, increasing their transportation costs.
In Kaduna, one corps member cited rent of up to ₦400,000 for a modest self-contained apartment.
National Assembly has raised the issue
The accommodation challenge is not new.
The National Assembly has previously called for reasonable accommodation for corps members, with lawmakers urging government agencies and other establishments to support participants serving under the NYSC scheme.
A bill introduced in the House of Representatives also sought to review accommodation and transport allowances for corps members in line with prevailing economic realities.
The continued emergence of the issue suggests that existing arrangements have not fully resolved the housing problem.
What CJAN wants government to do
CJAN is calling for several measures, including:
- A national accommodation policy for corps members.
- Rehabilitation and certification of NYSC lodges.
- Stronger enforcement of employer accommodation obligations.
- Affordable corps-member hostels through public-private partnerships.
- A verified accommodation database around PPAs.
- Special safety measures for female corps members.
- Regular monitoring of accommodation conditions across states.
- Greater participation of youth organisations in NYSC policy reforms.
Ajayi said the objective should be to ensure that corps members can concentrate on their national service without facing avoidable housing and transportation pressures.
With the Federal Government already reviewing the NYSC framework, CJAN and NYCN believe accommodation should form part of the reforms if the scheme is to better respond to the realities facing young Nigerians.