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For many years, the National Youth Service Corps, which people call NYSC, has been like a doorway that every Nigerian graduate must pass through. It is a one-year journey of service, learning, sacrifice, and sometimes frustration. Read Our Last Post: Federal Government Launches New Certificate Verification Process for NYSC Candidates and Public Sector Recruits
You finish university or polytechnic. You wear your graduation gown. You take pictures with your family. Then, before you start searching for a permanent job, you have to wear khaki and serve Nigeria. That is the path most young people in this country must follow.
The programme has always been full of stories. Some are happy stories of young people who built schools in rural villages. Some are sad stories of insecurity or poor camp facilities. But whatever the story, NYSC remains one of the biggest national programmes in Africa.
Now, things are changing. In the last few months, the Federal Government in Abuja has introduced two strong policies that affect every corps member and every graduate. One is about how much money corps members will receive each month. The other is about how graduates must prove they truly finished school through a new system called NERD.
These are not small changes. They touch the pockets of youths, the trust in education, and the hope of families. In this report, we will go deep into what has changed, why it matters, and how it will affect millions of young Nigerians.
- This article was written by Prudent Joshua for prudentj2.com. Follow me on LinkedIn
The Long Road of Allowance
Money has always been a hot topic for corps members. Many people say the allowance is too small. Some say it cannot even cover food for one week in big cities like Lagos or Abuja.
For many years, corps members received 33,000 naira every month. That figure became like a song that everybody knew. But the truth is that 33,000 naira could not do much, especially as the cost of food, fuel, and transport went higher and higher.
Corps members often told funny but painful stories. One would say, “I used my whole allowance to pay house rent.” Another would say, “I could not even afford soap after sending money home.” Social media was full of such jokes, but behind the jokes was real pain.
Then came the good news. In July 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2024. That law raised the lowest pay for workers in Nigeria from 30,000 naira to 70,000 naira. This was a big jump. It felt like hope for workers everywhere.
Because corps members are also seen as workers serving the nation, their allowance had to change too. The Director General of NYSC at that time, Brigadier General Yushau Dogara Ahmed, pushed for it. He met with the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission and explained why corps members must not be left behind.
At last, on 25 September 2024, the Commission agreed. They released an official letter signed by the chairman, Ekpo Nta. The allowance would rise to 77,000 naira. Why 77,000 and not exactly 70,000? Because the rule added about ten per cent extra to cover small needs like transport.
Waiting, Hoping, and Complaining
The announcement came, but the money did not come immediately. Corps members waited. They waited again. And then they waited some more.
From July 2024 to February 2025, nothing changed in their bank alerts. It was still 33,000 naira every month. Many corps members lost patience. Some wrote angry posts on X (Twitter). Some went on TikTok to share skits about “allowee” that never increased.
One young man in Osun said, “I keep hearing of 77k, but my account is still singing 33k.”
The delay made people question the government’s seriousness. But the truth is that the government was struggling with the budget. Inflation was high. Fuel subsidy was gone. Everything was biting hard.
Finally, in March 2025, hope turned real. The new NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, who had just taken office on 6 March 2025, made an announcement in one of the orientation camps. He told the fresh corps members that the payment of 77,000 naira allowance had started.
By the end of March, corps members across Nigeria began receiving text alerts from their banks. Social media exploded with joy. Pictures of rice, beans, and meat flooded timelines, with captions like, “NYSC allowee don land.”
Back Pay and Budget
The story did not end there. What about the corps members who had finished service between July 2024 and February 2025? Would they lose out on the extra money?
At first, it was not clear. But later, the government confirmed that arrears would be paid. That meant ex-corps members who served during those months would also receive their balance. For each month, they were owed about 44,000 naira extra.
By June 2025, the government began sending those arrears. Some former corps members were shocked. A lady in Lagos told me on the phone, “I had finished service and moved on. Suddenly I received money that helped me fix my leaking roof.”
This move softened anger and gave relief. It showed that the government wanted fairness.
The Federal Government also showed seriousness in the budget. In the 2025 budget, about 430.7 billion naira was set aside for NYSC. Out of this, 372.9 billion naira was for corps members’ allowances alone. That is a huge amount of money, but it is also a sign of how big NYSC has become.
Enter NERD – A New Way to Prove Your Certificate
Now let us move to the second big change, one that is less about money but more about trust.
On 28 September 2025, President Tinubu approved a new policy that connects NYSC directly with something called the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
From 6 October 2025, no graduate will be allowed to register for NYSC or get exemption without following NERD rules. This includes graduates from Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and even those who studied abroad.
So, what is NERD?
NERD is like a big digital library for Nigerian education. It stores students’ final year projects, theses, dissertations, and other academic work. The aim is to keep these records safe, make certificates easy to verify, and stop fake papers from flying around.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, launched NERD officially in March 2025. He explained that too many fake certificates were spoiling the image of Nigeria’s education system. Some people were even buying degrees to get jobs or escape NYSC. NERD is designed to end that.
How NERD Will Work
Every graduate must now upload their final project or thesis into the databank. Once it is there, it cannot be hidden or faked. When NYSC checks, they will see if you truly completed school.
If you are from the University of Ibadan, your project is there. If you studied agriculture in Nsukka, your thesis is there. If you studied engineering in London or Canada, you will still have to submit proof for NERD.
This system is also supported by law. It connects back to the NYSC Act of 1993, which already gave power to regulate who joins and who does not.
NERD has two big benefits:
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It makes sure only real graduates join NYSC.
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It creates a storehouse of research that can help Nigeria grow.
Imagine thousands of projects on farming, technology, medicine, and roads. If researchers look into them, they may find answers to national problems.
Mixed Reactions from Youth and Schools
Just like the allowance increase, NERD has brought mixed reactions.
Many lecturers welcomed it. They said it would protect the value of Nigerian certificates. A professor in Abuja told our reporter, “We can now proudly say our graduates are genuine.”
Some students were worried about privacy. They asked if their personal projects would be safe. Officials promised that the databank is secure and only authorised bodies like NYSC can check it.
On the streets, reactions were different. Some graduates celebrated. A young woman in Benin said, “This will stop fake graduates from taking our jobs.” But others complained that the process of uploading projects might be stressful, especially for those who studied abroad.
NYSC in the Bigger Picture
While these new policies make news, NYSC itself remains the same at its core. It is still one full year of service. It is still divided into three weeks of orientation camp and eleven months of service in communities.
Every year, NYSC has three batches – A, B, and C – with about 300,000 graduates in each. That means close to 900,000 young people go through the scheme every year.
They still wear khaki uniforms, sing the anthem, and join parades. They still teach in schools, work in hospitals, build roads, and help with community projects.
Rumours had spread earlier in 2025 that the scheme might be extended to fifteen months. NYSC denied it strongly on 9 April 2025. The one-year rule remains.
Exemptions also remain the same:
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People above thirty.
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Married women.
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People with serious health issues.
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Certain categories of workers.
But now, all of this will be checked through NERD before approval.
Security and Other Challenges
Even with good news about money and certificates, NYSC still faces big challenges.
Security is one of the biggest. Some camps and service locations, especially in the North, face threats from bandits or insurgents. Parents worry when their children are posted far away. A mother in Ogun told me, “Money is good, but safety is more important.”
Housing and feeding in some camps are also poor. Toilets do not work. Beds are broken. Food is sometimes bad. These issues need attention, no matter how high the allowance goes.
What This Means for the Future
The changes in 2025 are not just about today. They shape the future of NYSC and the future of Nigerian graduates.
The 77,000 naira allowance gives hope that young people can survive their service year with less struggle. The NERD policy gives confidence that only real graduates will join, and that fake degrees will not spoil the system.
Together, they bring fairness, trust, and a sense of pride. But success depends on good implementation. Payments must be on time. The databank must work without glitches. And the government must keep listening to the voices of corps members.
Conclusion:
The National Youth Service Corps has survived since 1973, when General Yakubu Gowon started it after the civil war. Its mission has always been to unite Nigeria, to make youths serve outside their comfort zones, and to build bridges across tribes and states.
Fifty-two years later, the mission has not changed. But the tools are changing. More money, better systems, and stronger checks are coming in.
As Nigeria faces the future, NYSC will remain a symbol of sacrifice and unity. With fuller pockets and verified certificates, corps members can step into service with new energy.
The story is not over. Each batch will write its own part. But for now, the message is clear: NYSC has entered a new chapter.
