THE management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has rejected what it calls misleading information circulating in the media regarding the ₦70,000 minimum wage for corps members.
In a statement issued and signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Eddy Megwa, the NYSC clarified that corps members, their parents, and the public should be aware that no official directive has been received from the relevant government sector to increase the allowances for corps members.
The statement further explained that corps members are familiar with the approved channels and methods of communication within the scheme and should disregard any misleading information.
The NYSC also urged corps members to avoid being misled by mischief-makers aiming to manipulate them.
In 2020, the NYSC raised the allowances for corps members from ₦19,800 to ₦33,000, just months after a new minimum wage bill of ₦30,000 was enacted.
In late July, President Bola Tinubu signed a new minimum wage bill into law, concluding months of discussions among government officials, labor unions, and the private sector.
He signed the bill at the State House in Abuja shortly after the National Assembly passed the Minimum Wage Act, 2019, which increased the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000.
“The signing of the minimum wage bill into law by His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is both a promise fulfilled and a testament to his people-focused governance approach,” a statement read. “Tinubu pledged to provide a living wage to Nigerian workers during his election campaign, and he has honored that promise.”
A Long Journey to Minimum Wage
President Tinubu’s action comes after months of negotiations with labor unions that sought an increase in light of the removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the naira, which have driven up living costs.
Labor unions initially proposed ₦494,000 as the new minimum wage, while the government offered ₦60,000. After several rounds of negotiations, workers reduced their demand to ₦250,000, and the government countered with ₦62,000.
Ultimately, on July 18, the Federal Government and the unions reached an agreement on a new minimum wage of ₦70,000.
This new wage will be reviewed every three years. Following this agreement, President Tinubu quickly forwarded the bill to the National Assembly for approval, which was passed in a single day.
This new law comes at a time of rising living costs in Nigeria, with the inflation rate reaching 34 percent in June 2024, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).