National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Abia state have accused the Alex Otti-led government of failing to deliver on the much-publicised N50,000 monthly allowance announced in November 2025.
The governor had declared that corps members’ stipends would jump “from ₦4,000 to as much as ₦50,000,” sparking excitement across the state. But three months later, some corps members say the promise exists only on paper.
According to the earlier government statement, all corps members were to receive a ₦20,000 base allowance, with an additional ₦10,000 for those serving in state establishments and ₦30,000 extra for medical and teaching personnel.
“In addition to the Federal Government’s increased monthly NYSC allowance of ₦77,000, all corps members serving in Abia State will now earn a base monthly allowance of ₦20,000, while those serving within state government establishments, and specifically teaching and medical personnel, will earn an additional discriminatory allowance of ₦10,000 and ₦30,000, respectively, to motivate interested corps members, thereby bridging the human capacity gap created by decades of neglect and attrition in both sectors,” the statement had read.
But corps members who spoke out say reality tells a different story.
“It’s nothing but an audio promise. To think he’s not even paying us the old N4,000 stipend. We were happy when he announced it, but till now it’s yet to be implemented.
“Funny enough, his influencers on social media count it as one of his achievements,” a corps member serving in Aba lamented while speaking to SaharaReporters.
Another expressed frustration over the delay
“It’s demoralising, but we keep our hopes alive and pray it will be implemented soon. Some of those who were to benefit from the so-called increment already passed out in December.”
A third corps member dismissed reports circulating online about payments being made.
“They haven’t paid the N50,000 as promised last year; even the N20,000 for all corps members hasn’t been paid. All you see about the payment on social media is propaganda, not real,” the corps member said.
