A popular facts platform on X, Africa Facts Zone (@AfricaFactsZone) posted pictures of National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) members with the claim that the paramilitary organisation has increased the monthly allowance of serving corps members to 77,000 naira. The X account cited The Punch newspaper as its source.
The caption on the picture of NYSC reads; “Nigeria has increased the monthly allowances of NYSC members to N77,000 ($47) monthly. The National Youth Service Corps is a scheme that encourages graduates from higher institutions to explore the country and acquire more skills and experience. Source: The Punch”
This has been posted since September 26, 2024 and had generated over 120,000 views, 193 comments, 193 reposts and quotes, over 1,600 likes and 31 bookmarks, as of the time this report was published.
However, there have been different reactions and replies under the posts with some users supporting the increase while others voiced their doubts about the increase. An X user, @EiiKwesiKay commented, “That’s great news for NYSC members! The increase in allowance will provide them with more financial support during their service year. It’s a positive step towards marking the NYSC program more attractive to graduates and encouraging them to participate. What are your thoughts on this development?” @BassMagni also replied saying, “I swear to you, your second paragraph is false and misleading.”
The increment in corp members allowance has been a buzzing topic since President Tinubu increased the minimum wage in the country to 70,000 naira in July. NV-A’s fact-check of a similar claim about the increment of corps members allowance in August returned with a FALSE verdict. Now that the claim has surfaced in September from a different X user and is still circulating, it is pertinent to confirm if there has been any changes in corps members allowance.
VERIFICATION
A web search established that the NYSC and the Federal Government had in September, announced an increase in corp members stipend from N33,000 to N77,000. The stipend increase was also reported by Nairametrics, TVC Nigeria and The Punch.
However, when NV-A contacted serving corps members in different states, they [corps members] stated that they did not receive N77,000 stipend for September or October as claimed.
A corp member serving in Kwara State confirmed to our fact-checker that his account was credited with N33,000 on October 29, 2024.
“I was credited with N33,000 on Tuesday and the claim that we were paid N77,000 is not true”, he told our fact-checker.
Similarly, a corp member in Taraba State also confirmed that only N33,000 was credited to his account on October 29, 2024, stating that he was disappointed with his monthly stipend.
“I was credited N33,00 not N77,000 as rumoured by some newspaper organisation”, he said.
Another corps member in Osun State also confirmed being credited 33,000 naira for the month of October.
Similarly, a corps member serving in Delta state confirmed being paid the same amount.
“To think I was expecting 77,000 naira, only to receive 33,00 naira,” she said.
On October 6, the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, told BBC Hausa Service that the recent increase in corps members’ allowance has not been implemented due to funds.
“Not only the corps members, even our staff members’ salary has been increased about four to five months ago, but it has not been implemented yet. But we are hopeful that the new pay will be implemented soon, but the funds have not been released to us yet. The information we have did not specify when the new allowance will be paid, but we were assured that their monthly allowance has been increased from 29th July 2024,” Ahmad told BBC Hausa Service during the interview.
CONCLUSION
The claim that corps members have started receiving 77,000 naira monthly stipend is MISLEADING, as findings revealed that the serving corps members are still receiving 33,000 naira stipend and the NYSC has confirmed that funds have not been released to the paramilitary organisation yet.
Barakat Sanni
