Adamawa State Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, has controversially increased the monthly allowance of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the state from ₦20,000 to ₦30,000.
The announcement came during the swearing-in ceremony for the 2025 Batch B Stream I corps members at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Damare, Girei Local Government Area.
Increment as a “Token” Gesture or Meaningful Support
While Governor Fintiri pitched the allowance increase as a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to youth development and welfare, critics argue that this raise barely scratches the surface of the financial challenges faced by corps members.
For a service that demands full-time commitment and affects young Nigerians’ livelihoods, the ₦10,000 increase is viewed by some as a mere political photo-op rather than a genuine solution to the costs of living and service expenses.
Fintiri stated, “As a government, we are committed to improving the welfare of corps members.
This increment aligns with our promise to create a friendly and supportive atmosphere for you.”
However, questions linger about whether this increment will noticeably improve the living conditions or simply paper over a deeper neglect of youth welfare.
Youth Welfare under the Microscope
The official justification notes that the allowance increase complements ongoing supports such as food and welfare packages.
Yet, many corps members nationwide have lamented the persistent disparities between official stipends and real costs on the ground.
The sudden jump to ₦30,000 remains well below subsistence levels in many Nigerian states.
Furthermore, this increase is silent on critical issues such as delayed payments, inconsistent supply of welfare resources.
And the absence of insurance or health benefits for corps members, who often work in challenging and sometimes unsafe environments.
Plans for New Orientation Camp: Progress or Politicking
Governor Fintiri disclosed that plans were far advanced for building a new NYSC orientation camp in Adamawa State.
He ordered the NYSC State Coordinator to engage corps members with relevant skills such as architects, civil engineers.
And quantity surveyors in supervising the construction project an inclusive initiative on paper.
However, skeptics caution that such large-scale projects frequently encounter delays, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and inflated contracts in Nigeria’s political landscape.
Whether this construction materializes promptly and transparently remains an open question.
Corps Members as “Crucial Partners”
In his address, Fintiri described the corps members as essential partners in the state’s developmental policies, especially in the education sector.
He reminded them of the expectations during their service year: to maintain discipline, engage in community development, and foster healthy social relationships.
“As bona fide citizens of Adamawa during your service year, you are expected to uphold discipline.
Engage in community development, and cultivate healthy interactions,” the governor emphasized.
While this rhetoric is commonplace in NYSC ceremonies, critics argue that the government’s promises rarely translate into enhanced working conditions or protections for the corps members.
Calls for Genuine Commitment Beyond Ceremonies
The State Commissioner for Youths and NYSC Governing Board Chairman, Wali Yakubu, urged corps members to take orientation seriously and embrace skill acquisition for post-service self-reliance.
The NYSC State Coordinator, Osoro Caroline, praised the corps members’ discipline and participation.
Describing Governor Fintiri as a “visionary leader and a beacon of youth empowerment in Nigeria.”
Such praise, however, raises eyebrows considering the national and state-level challenges youths face, including unemployment, underpayment, and marginalization.
This lauding contrasts starkly with many youths’ lived realities, who see little more than surface-level commitments from political leaders.
Political Theatre or Real Youth Advocacy
This ceremony and allowance increase fit a broader pattern in Nigerian politics where symbolic gestures are used to claim progress while structural problems remain unaddressed.
The modest monthly increment followed by ceremonial praises serves more to advertise goodwill than to tackle entrenched youth issues.
Critics demand that officials go beyond ceremonies and undertake comprehensive reforms.
Including:
- Ensuring timely and adequate payment of stipends nationwide
- Protecting corps members with health and social insurance
- Improving living conditions in orientation and deployment camps
- Integrating skills training with post-service job placement schemes
Without such reforms, these incremental changes and celebratory events risk becoming political gimmicks that fail to alleviate the socio-economic pressures crushing Nigeria’s youth.
Oath-Taking and Symbolic Gestures
The swearing-in also featured Chief Judge of Adamawa, Justice Hapsat Abdurrahman, administering the oath of allegiance and the ceremonial presentation of the NYSC journal to Governor Fintiri.
These ceremonial elements.
While culturally important, highlight a dissonance between formal procedures and the urgent need for systemic reforms to uplift corps members who serve the nation under often strenuous conditions.
National Reflection: Are We Truly Supporting Our Youth
The allowance increase in Adamawa State, though welcomed by many, shines a glaring spotlight on the broader national inadequacies in youth welfare policy.
Nigeria’s young workforce faces rising inflation, job scarcity, and minimal government support despite forming the backbone of national service projects.
Governor Fintiri’s step, while commendable, should not be the exception but the rule.
It should spark rigorous debate and nationwide policy overhauls that treat NYSC members with the respect and support they deserve not just during ceremonies but throughout their service tenure.
Adamawa State’s NYSC allowance hike represents more than a financial adjustment.
It exposes deep tensions in Nigeria’s approach to youth empowerment.
While Governor Fintiri’s announcement seeks to showcase commitment, Nigeria’s youth and political analysts urge that token gestures must give way to substantial reforms.
Only then can the NYSC scheme fulfill its promise as a genuine springboard for national development and youth prosperity rather than another cycle of underfunded sacrifice and symbolic politics.
This article, crafted for WahalaUpdate’s unapologetically critical lens, calls for urgent rethinking of youth welfare policies in Nigeria and demands action beyond mere announcements and celebrations.
