 members to ₦77,000, starting from July 2024.){kind=link}
The Federal Government has officially increased the monthly allowance for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to ₦77,000, starting from July 2024.
This marks a significant rise from the previous allowance of ₦33,000, in line with the recently enacted National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act of 2024.
However, when adjusted for inflation and rising food prices, particularly the cost of rice—a staple in Nigeria—the new allowance holds less purchasing power than it did a decade ago.
In 2014, when corps members received N19,000, a 50kg bag of rice was around N7,500, less than half the stipend. Now, a bag of rice goes between N90,000 and N95,000.
The increase was announced in a letter issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, dated September 25, 2024, and signed by its chairman, Ekpo Nta.
According to the NYSC Acting Director Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the decision followed an advocacy visit made by NYSC Director General, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, to the Commission, where he requested better welfare provisions for corps members.
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The allowance increase comes two months after the government approved a new minimum wage of N70,000, up from N30,000.
Nigerians have faced an unprecedented cost of living crisis since the government removed petrol subsidy and devalued the naira last year. Inflation has topped 30% for months, while major foods like have risen in price by more than 100% in the last one year.
The main workers’ union, Nigeria Labour Congress, had canvassed for a minimum wage of N250,000. The group said President Bola Tinubu offered N70,000 with the assurance that the price of petrol will not rice further.
That promise did not stand as the state-owned oil company, NNPC Limited, announced new prices this month.
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