How far can ₦77,000, corps members monthly allowance go?

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) monthly allowance remains a lifeblood for thousands of young graduates serving the country as corps members, popularly called “corpers”. With the cost of living rising every day, how far can the ₦77,000 monthly allowance, popularly called “allawee”, go? OLUWAFEMILOYE OLADEJI and OYINDAMOLA KAREEM surveyed corps members’ opinions on this matter. Their views:

Eniola Balogun

Before I get the allawee, there are already many responsibilities on the ground to attend. However, I set priorities. I divide my allowance into three sections. The first section goes to basic needs, like foodstuff, data, transport, and other miscellaneous items. The second part goes into savings, while the third goes to emergencies for unforeseen circumstances. Although it is not always consistent, I try my best to be faithful. And sometimes, situations come up that make you spend the money before it even arrives, coupled with responsibilities, especially with your younger ones looking up to you for financial assistance.

Oluwanifemi Akinbode

I make sure to budget my allawee properly and plan before it arrives so that I can manage my expenses throughout the month. I allocate ₦20,000 to transportation to my Place of Primary Assignment (PPA), as this is one of my major monthly expenses. I also set aside ₦30,000 for foodstuff and toiletries to ensure I have the basic things I need. Another ₦30,000 goes into my savings because I believe it is important to put something aside for the future. Whatever remains after these allocations is what I use to take care of miscellaneous expenses that may come up during the month.

Sharon Adegbite

I spend my allawee on some of the basic things I need to get through the month. A significant part of it goes into transportation to my PPA, since I need to commute regularly for my service activities. I also use the money to buy foodstuff that will last me throughout the month. Apart from feeding and transportation, I set aside some money to purchase my skincare products. These are the major things I prioritise when spending my monthly allowance.

Mayowa John

I do not really spend my allawee because I have other sources of income that help me cater to my needs. These other sources of income make it easier for me to take care of my daily expenses without depending on my allowance. I prefer to leave the money untouched rather than spend it on things I can afford with my other income. This way, I am able to keep my allowance separate from the money I use for my regular expenses.

Ibukunoluwa Toyejo

One of the major expenses I cater to with my allawee is my monthly data subscription, which costs about ₦16,000. As a web developer and engineer, I also use part of my allowance to pay for the tools and app subscriptions I need for my work. These subscriptions are important because they help me carry out my professional responsibilities and stay productive. Apart from these expenses, I make provision for miscellaneous spending and emergencies that may arise during the month. I also budget for other responsibilities so I can manage my allowance and meet my needs as much as possible.

Iyanuoluwa Ojeyinka

I own a fashion brand, and it is currently my main source of income. So, I do not usually spend my allawee. Since I already earn money from my business, I can take care of most of my regular expenses without relying on my monthly allowance. This allows me to keep my allowance aside, instead of using it for my everyday needs. However, whenever I decide to spend some of it, I mostly use the money for self-care and personal needs. I also keep it available for emergencies, especially when unexpected expenses come up, and I need extra money to handle them.

Nifemi Omotosho

Data subscription takes up a large part of my monthly allawee because I need to stay connected throughout the month. Apart from buying data, I also spend some of the money on transportation to get to the places I need to be. I use whatever is necessary to cover other miscellaneous expenses that come up along the way. Fortunately, I live with my parents. So, I do not have to spend much of my allowance on food. This makes it a little easier for me to manage my money since food is not one of my major expenses.

Victoria Ishola

I spend my allawee on several things, depending on what I need to take care of during the month. Some of my major expenses include transportation, data subscriptions, and other necessary items for my daily activities. However, I also consider saving an important part. So, I make sure to set money aside. I dedicate 25 per cent of my monthly allowance to savings to help me build a financial reserve. In addition, I use part of the money to invest in gadgets and equipment for my podcast, as I want to support the growth of my project.

Aishat Meikudi

I spend about half of my monthly allawee on transportation because I have several places I need to visit throughout the month. These include my PPA, the local government inspector (LGI) biometrics venue, and different community development service (CDS) locations that I am expected to attend. Moving between these places takes up a significant portion of my allowance. Luckily, I stay with someone who takes care of my feeding and other basic amenities, which helps reduce my expenses. Despite spending so much on transportation, I still try to save a part of my allowance whenever I can.

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Oyindamola Kareem

I spend my allawee on the basic things I need to survive and carry out my daily activities throughout the month. A good part of the money goes into buying foodstuff because feeding is a necessity. I also spend on data subscriptions to ensure I can stay connected and handle the things I need to do online. Transportation and other miscellaneous expenses also take up some of my allowance, depending on what comes up during the month. Apart from these personal expenses, I dedicate part of my money to my music project because it is something I am working towards realising.

Onayemi Babatomiwa

Out of my monthly allowance of ₦77,000, I try to allocate money to the different expenses I need to cover throughout the month. I spend about ₦2,000 weekly on data subscriptions, which helps me stay connected, and another ₦12,000 on transportation. I also set aside ₦10,000 for family responsibilities because I have obligations I need to attend to at home. After taking care of these expenses, I use the remaining money for feeding, as I believe eating good food is important. However, despite trying to budget carefully, the ₦77,000 allowance is still not enough to cover all my expenses until the end of the month.

Bankole Abisola

Honestly, as a corps member, most of my monthly allowance goes into taking care of my basic needs and daily expenses. Feeding takes up a large portion of the money. I also spend a considerable amount on transportation to my PPA. Data subscriptions and other necessary expenses also take their share of the allowance, leaving me with very little to spare. Things are quite expensive these days. Although I try to save a little whenever possible, the money usually runs out before the month ends. I just have to manage.