The federal government has unveiled plans to provide N75,000 cash grants to 15 million low-income households in 2025, yet the promise to raise the monthly allowance of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from N33,000 to N77,000 remains unfulfilled.
Nentawe Yilwatda, Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, announced the cash transfer initiative during an appearance on the Arise TV Morning Show on Wednesday. He explained that President Bola Tinubu’s directive aims to alleviate poverty for millions of Nigerians.
“The target of the president is that we should reach 15 million households. An average household consists of about four to five members. This translates to roughly 70 million individuals who will benefit from N75,000 this year,” Yilwatda said.
This ambitious welfare initiative would cost the government N1.125 trillion if fully implemented in a one-time disbursement for all households.
Corps Members Await Promised Pay Increase
Meanwhile, NYSC members, who currently receive a monthly allowance of N33,000, are still awaiting the implementation of the proposed N77,000 increase promised by the federal government in July 2024.
Based on figures shared by Ahidjo Yahaya, NYSC’s North-East Area Director, the scheme annually enrolls about 400,000 corps members nationwide. If the government were to fulfill its promise, the increased allowance would cost approximately N369.6 billion per year. However, only an additional N211.2 billion annually is required to meet the promise, as the government already pays N33,000 monthly.
Yushau Ahmed, Director General of NYSC, addressed the delay in October 2024 during an interview with the BBC, stating that funds had not yet been released.
“We are hopeful that the new pay will be implemented soon, though the funds have not yet been released to us,” Ahmed said. “The information we have does not specify when the new allowance will be paid, but we have been assured that their monthly allowance has been increased from 29 July 2024.”
Raising Concerns About Priorities
With the government’s pledge to allocate N1.125 trillion for poverty alleviation through cash transfers, questions arise about its ability to deliver on promises to other groups, particularly NYSC members.
As uncertainty persists regarding the NYSC allowance increase, it remains to be seen whether the federal government can simultaneously fulfill its commitments to corps members and execute its ambitious welfare scheme for Nigeria’s poorest households.
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