Some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have lamented the financial strain of meeting accommodation, transportation and feeding costs in separate interviews with THE WHISTLER.
According to them, their monthly allowance is insufficient to cover basic expenses.
The pressure, they said, is compounded by lack of financial support from their Places of Primary Assignment (PPAs), while others say delays in receiving their allowances have made it difficult to commute to work and meet their daily needs.
The corps members spoke in separate interviews on Wednesday during their biometric exercise in Abuja. They recounted how the high cost of living has affected their finances and pushed some to rely on family members and friends to get by.
Sandra Okorie, who serves at the National Assembly, identified transportation expenses and lack of financial support from her PPA as major challenges.
She said the cost of commuting to work and meeting her daily needs became difficult when monthly allowances get delayed.
“One of the biggest challenges I have encountered is the high cost of transportation and not being paid at my PPA. It can be quite difficult at times because you need transportation to get to the office and you still need to eat as well,” she told THE WHISTLER.
Okafor added that although she doesn’t report to her PPA every day, delays in receiving her allowance affects her ability to manage her expenses.
Another corps member, Blessing Francis, who serves at a hospital in the nation’s capital, said she spends at least N25,000 weekly on transportation and is often left with little money for other necessities.
“I spend not less than N25,000 on transportation each week, and it can be quite exhausting financially because I still need to feed and sort out other expenses as well,” she said.
Francis said she frequently sought financial assistance from her family because her income could not adequately cover her living expenses.
According to the corps member, her accommodation costs have added to the burden.
She disclosed that she pays N1.5m annually for a self-contained apartment in Abuja, an amount she considers expensive for a young graduate serving under the NYSC scheme.
“After paying for rent, transportation and some basic things, I’ll be left with little or nothing to feed most times,” she said.
Checks by THE WHISTLER show that her rent is comparable to prevailing asking prices in parts of the FCT. Data from Nigeria Property Centre puts the average annual asking rent for a self-contained apartment in Abuja at about N2m. Most listed properties go for between N1.5m and N3m.
The cost of securing accommodation can rise further when agency, legal and other charges are added.
A BusinessDay survey published in July 2026 found that rents across several Abuja districts had increased by between 40 and 120 per cent over two years, while additional charges accounted for between 20 and 30 per cent of total rental costs.
Such expenses for NYSC members who do not receive housing or transport assistance from their employers can take a substantial portion of their monthly income.
Another corps member, Uche Agbo, said his financial difficulties sometimes affected his ability to report to work.
He explained that whenever he could not afford transportation to his PPA, he called in sick until he could raise enough money to report at work.
“When there’s no money to go to work, I just call in sick until I’m able to get money to sort it out,” he said.
Agbo said feeding had also become difficult. He disclosed that there had been occasions when he went hungry because he could not afford to buy food.
With their allowances unable to cover their expenses, some corps members said they sometimes resort to cutting down on spending and finding other ways to supplement their income.
One of the interviewees said she had stopped making unnecessary purchases, reduced how often she bought food outside and started cooking more frequently to save money.
She added that she turned to relatives and friends for financial assistance whenever her money was insufficient to last until the end of the month.
The corps member, who also runs a small cake and pastry business, said the ‘side hustle’ provided some financial support, although sales are unpredictable.
“Sometimes I make sales and other times I don’t,” she said.
Reflecting on her service experience, she described Abuja as more expensive than she had anticipated. The NYSC member who pleaded anonymity said the cost of living had made the city difficult for corps members with limited financial resources.
Despite the challenges, she said she would still consider serving in the FCT if she had to, describing the nation’s capital as a relatively calm place to live apart from its high living costs.
THE WHISTLER reports that the Federal Government increased the monthly NYSC allowance from N33,000 to N77,000 after the approval of the new national minimum wage in September 2024. The increase was implemented in March 2025 after months of delay.
The N77,000 stipend is the official monthly federal allowance for corps members, although some receive additional payments or other benefits from their PPAs.
Under the NYSC Decree, employers of corps members are required to provide basic accommodation and transport or pay an allowance in lieu where these facilities are unavailable. The decree also provides for welfare facilities, including medical services.
However, the experiences recounted by the corps members show many employers to comply.
