Abia boosts corps members’ allowance to ₦50,000 as Otti prioritises youth and public service

Corps members serving in Abia State have welcomed a major boost to their monthly allowance following Governor Alex Otti’s approval of a new stipend structure that raises payments from the previous ₦4,000 to as high as ₦50,000, depending on deployment.

The adjustment was disclosed on Friday in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Njoku Ukoha, who described the move as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen manpower in key public service sectors across the state.

Under the revised allowance plan, all corps members serving in Abia will receive a base monthly stipend of ₦20,000. Those assigned to state government ministries and agencies will earn an additional ₦10,000, while corps members serving in teaching and medical roles will receive an extra ₦30,000.

This is in addition to the Federal Government NYSC allowance, which now stands at ₦77,000 per month.

Ukoha explained that the new structure is aimed at closing staffing gaps in the education and health sectors, encouraging corps members to accept roles in schools and public hospitals where manpower is needed, and making their service year more rewarding.

“This is the first significant review of corps members’ welfare in the state in almost three decades,” the statement noted. “It demonstrates Governor Otti’s commitment to youth development, human capacity strengthening, and rebuilding essential public institutions.”

The statement also highlighted recent improvements at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Bende, where the state has rehabilitated internal roads, upgraded power supplies, and refurbished dormitories and service facilities.

Ukoha said the governor’s position is that any infrastructure within Abia – whether under state or federal control – should meet decent standards because it is Abia residents who make use of them.

The announcement places Abia among the states offering the highest stipends to corps members in Nigeria.