The Nigerian government has announced plans to support low-income households and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members through financial incentives. These include N75,000 cash transfers to households in need and a proposed increase in NYSC allowances from N33,000 to N77,000. However, implementation remains uncertain, raising questions among citizens about when these promises will materialize.
Cash Transfers for 15 Million Households
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Nentawe Yilwatda, shared plans for cash transfers aimed at helping the country’s most impoverished families. According to the government, the initiative is expected to reach 15 million households, which translates to about 70 million individuals, assuming an average household size of four to five people.
Each household would receive N75,000 as part of this program, with the total cost estimated at N1.125 trillion if the transfers are made once during the year. This large sum underscores the government’s financial commitment to poverty reduction.
NYSC Allowance Increase: Still Pending
In addition to the cash transfer program, the federal government had pledged to raise the monthly allowance for NYSC members to N77,000 starting in July 2024. This proposed increase is meant to provide financial relief to about 400,000 corps members who serve annually.
If implemented, this would cost the government an estimated N30.8 billion per month and N369.6 billion annually. Over three years, this expenditure would total N1.108 trillion, which is close to the budget planned for the cash transfer program.
Current NYSC Stipend and Additional Costs
Currently, corps members receive N33,000 monthly. The promised increase would add N44,000 to their pay, bringing the total to N77,000. The extra cost to the government for this raise is estimated at N17.6 billion monthly or N211.2 billion annually. While this amount is lower than the cash transfer costs, it still represents a significant financial obligation.
Delays in Payment
Despite these promises, there have been delays in implementation. In October 2024, the Director General of NYSC, Yushau Ahmed, stated that the funds required for the allowance increase had not yet been released by the government. Ahmed noted that the delay affected not only corps members but also NYSC staff, who were awaiting their own pay adjustments.
“We’ve been assured that the new pay will be implemented soon,” Ahmed said. “However, we don’t have a specific timeline for when corps members will start receiving the increased allowance.”
Challenges and Uncertainty
Both the proposed cash transfers and NYSC allowance increase face delays, leaving many Nigerians uncertain about the government’s ability to fulfill these promises. As of now, there is no confirmed timeline for implementation, and citizens are left hoping for more concrete action.