The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has refuted claims circulating in the media about an increase in corps members’ allowances to ₦70,000, following the recent signing of the new minimum wage bill by President Bola Tinubu.
Eddy Megwa, Director of Information and Public Relations for NYSC, issued a statement addressing the claim.
“Corps members, parents, and the public should note that no directive has been received from the relevant sector of government responsible to raise the allowance of corps members,” he said.
The NYSC emphasized that corps members are familiar with the organization’s official communication channels and urged them to disregard misleading information.
“Corps members already know the approved channel and mode of communication in the scheme and should therefore ignore misleading information accordingly,” Megwa stated.
This clarification comes in the wake of President Tinubu’s signing of the new minimum wage bill in late July, which increased the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000. The bill’s passage followed extensive negotiations between the government, labor unions, and the private sector, prompted by rising living costs due to fuel subsidy removal and the floating of the naira.
While the new minimum wage law represents a significant change for many workers, it appears that NYSC allowances remain unchanged for now.
The last increase in corps members’ allowances occurred in 2020, when it was raised from ₦19,800 to ₦33,000, following the previous minimum wage increase to ₦30,000.
As Nigeria struggles with an inflation rate of 34% as of June 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, many are closely watching how various sectors will adjust to the new minimum wage requirements.
For now, NYSC corps members will have to wait for official communication regarding any potential changes to their allowances.
