Frustration grows among Nigerian corps members as the long-awaited ₦77,000 allowance remains unpaid. In an unexpected move, President Bola Tinubu has dismissed the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yusha’u Dogara Ahmed, replacing him with Brigadier-General Nafiu Olakunle. While no official reason has been provided for the leadership change, many corps members believe it is linked to the ongoing allowance controversy.
Corps members are reassured by Ahmed, who has been in charge of the NYSC since January 2023, that the new pay will begin in February 2025. Corps members are still given $33,000 as March gets underway, though, which makes them wonder if the government will keep its word. The timing of Ahmed’s dismissal only serves to increase conjecture.
“It’s strange that he gets removed right when we are complaining about our money,” says a corps member who prefers to remain anonymous. “Maybe the government realizes things are getting out of hand.”
Another corps member, speaking anonymously, suggests the change in leadership might be a distraction. “If they think replacing the DG will make us forget about the #77K, they are wrong. We need action, not just new appointments.”
Across the country, corps members say the current #33,000 allowance is no longer enough to survive. Rent, food, and transportation costs have increased significantly, leaving many struggling to make ends meet.
“Before the end of the first week, my allowance is already gone,” one corps member states. Another shares, “I planned my expenses expecting the #77K to start, but now, I don’t even know what to do.”
Many are forced to rely on family support or side hustles. Some even joke that they are “serving hunger” rather than serving the nation.
NYSC officials remain silent on the reason for Ahmed’s removal, and his successor, Brigadier-General Olakunle, has yet to address the allowance situation. While some corps members hope his appointment signals a positive change, others worry that the delay will continue.
Corps members are currently stuck in limbo, checking their bank applications every day in the hopes of receiving an alert that has yet to materialise.
