Tinubu Grants N250,000, Jobs, and Scholarships to 200 NYSC Honourees

President Bola Tinubu has approved the immediate employment of 200 exceptional National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members into the federal civil service. Each awardee will also receive a N250,000 cash reward and a scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies at any Nigerian university.

The announcement was made in Abuja on Tuesday during the combined President’s NYSC Honours Award ceremony for 2020 to 2023. Representing the president, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, said the honours were granted in recognition of the recipients’ discipline, commitment, selflessness, teamwork, patriotism, and integrity.

In addition to the 200 awardees, President Tinubu also directed that 10 physically challenged ex-corps members, who sustained injuries during their service, be employed immediately in the civil service. “We will never forget their sacrifice,” he said.

Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to youth empowerment through initiatives focused on education, technology, and job creation. He emphasized the importance of putting young people at the center of national development through targeted programmes that build skills and promote sustainable innovation.

Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande, who was also present at the event, praised the president’s ongoing support for the younger generation. He pointed to Tinubu’s approval of the increase in corps members’ monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000 as a practical response to current economic conditions and a recognition of their role in building the nation.

NYSC Director-General Olakunle Nafiu described the honourees as “heroes of our Republic,” noting that they were chosen through a rigorous selection process based on their service records, impact in host communities, and civic engagement. He highlighted the NYSC’s Hope Alive programme, which honours former corps members who were permanently injured during service, and paid tribute to four corps members who lost their lives in the line of duty.

Nafiu also shared recent achievements of the NYSC, including the deployment of over 2,300 doctors as part of a 6,340-strong medical team in 2023 to expand healthcare access in rural areas. He said more than four million Nigerians have benefited from NYSC’s rural health outreach, while over 250,000 corps members undergo entrepreneurship training each year.

“The NYSC remains a living, working institution—shaping lives and building the nation from the ground up,” he said, adding that the scheme continues to evolve through reforms focused on security, personal growth, and national unity.