By Habeeb Ibrahim
The Federal Government has announced another increase in the feeding budget for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members during their orientation course, three years after a previous review was reported in 2023.
The latest adjustment, which is expected to take effect in 2027, comes amid rising food costs and questions about whether the allocation will be sufficient to provide adequate meals for corps members during their three-week orientation exercise.
NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed the approval while addressing members of the 2026 Batch C Stream One at the Cross River State orientation camp in Obubra.
He said the Budget Office had been informed of the upward review, although the new allocation, percentage increase and amount to be spent on feeding each corps member have not been disclosed.
The announcement follows a similar development in August 2023, when the Federal Government’s review of corps members’ feeding allowance was reported by The Guardian. At the time, the NYSC Kaduna State Coordinator, Hassan Taura, confirmed the adjustment but did not disclose the revised rate.
The NYSC’s 2023 annual report also recorded an increase in the government’s budgetary allocation for orientation camp feeding, alongside transport and local transport for corps members.
However, the available records do not establish the exact amount approved in 2023 or how much the allocation has changed since then.
The latest review therefore raises questions about the scale of the increase and whether it will translate into better meals for corps members across the country’s orientation camps.
During the orientation course, corps members participate in physical exercises, lectures, drills and skills acquisition activities, making feeding an essential part of their welfare.
Nafiu also urged corps members to manage their finances responsibly, avoid unnecessary spending and develop the habit of saving.
The revised feeding budget is expected to take effect in 2027, but the government has yet to publicly disclose the new rate or provide a detailed breakdown of the additional funding.
