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10 Best States to Serve in Nigeria During NYSC

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Choosing a state to complete one’s compulsory service year can be a little daunting sometimes. However, after reading this guide you will discover the 10 best states to serve in Nigeria during your NYSC year.

At first people were posted to random states, but now things have taken a slight twist. You can now choose up to 3 states you wish to serve in while registering.

NYSC can provide you with an exciting experience, only if you choose one of the best states to serve in Nigeria.

Pay attention→ States that pay corp members in Nigeria

We have taken note of the four important factors before deciding a state is good for service. Those factors are:

  • Security
  • Availability of job & business opportunities
  • Monthly stipends by State Government
  • Fun & liveliness

Now that you know the factors we’re judging by…

Here are the best states to serve in Western Nigeria

Lagos State

There’s no doubt whatsoever that Lagos State is one of the best states to serve in Nigeria. Its orientation camp is one of the best in the country. Aside from the fact that Lagos city is the most developed city in Nigeria, if you’re capable of harnessing the human resources present in Lagos, you can along with your service year make extra-bucks from side hustles or businesses.

As we’ve always indicated in previous articles on NYSC, one must start planning for his/her future during the course of service. If you’ve been wondering where to start from after completing your mandatory 1 year of service, then Lagos can provide answers to most of your questions. It is home & headquarters to most of the finest companies in Nigeria including telecommunication giants, food companies, research institutes, etc.

In simple terms, you can start submitting your CVs early enough so as to stand better chances of getting called up for interviews during the final months of your service year.

Another factor we have considered to list Lagos among the 10 best states to serve in Nigeria is that it is also one of the few states that pay good monthly stipends to Corp members serving in state-owned agencies.

Warning: Cost of living in Lagos is quite high! But who cares? 🙂 

Ogun State

A lot of people may be surprised at the inclusion of Ogun in this list. Don’t be! Ogun State is one of the fastest developing states in Nigeria; and its closeness to Nigeria’s biggest city, Lagos, has played an important role in this. Whatever opportunities are in Lagos, anyone serving in Ogun State can also tap from them.

I don’t want it to sound like Ogun is in this list only because of its closeness to Lagos. The state is also home to some of the biggest companies and factories in Nigeria.

And corp members get paid a monthly stipend of ₦5,000; which is much better than what many other states pay.

Know now!→ will the Federal Government increase NYSC allowance to ₦49,800?

Osun State

If you’re a peace-loving individual, of which I’m sure you are, then Osun State is one of the best states to serve in Nigeria. Aside from the fact that Osun is a peaceful state, Corp members get paid a monthly state allowee of ₦5,000 – which makes it all the more fun, since the cost of living is very low (Food and accommodation is very cheap in Osun).

Best states to serve in Eastern Nigeria

Anambra State

Before now I’d have picked Enugu as the best state to serve in the Eastern part of Nigeria, but since it has stopped paying ₦10K monthly stipends to corp members, I was forced to change my mind about that.

Anambra state pays corp members serving in state-owned organizations a monthly stipend of approximately ₦8,250. Adding that to your federal allawee will cover a lot of expenses.

Aside from the monthly stipends, which obviously has played a key role in the inclusion of Anambra State in this list, it is home to one of Nigeria’s biggest commercial cities… the city of Onitsha. If you’re a business-minded person, you can start spotting opportunities during your service year.

Enugu State

It’s not possible for us to list the best states to serve in the eastern part of Nigeria without including Enugu to the list. Its capital city is one of the most developed and industrialized areas in the eastern part of Nigeria.

It is also a place for fun lovers. However, similar to top cities in Nigeria, the cost of living is quite high and the monthly state allowance corp members previously enjoyed has been slashed by a great deal.

Best states to serve in Southern Nigeria

Akwa Ibom State

Previously corp members serving in Akwa Ibom earned a monthly state allowance of ₦10,000. That figure has, however, been slashed down to just ₦4,900.

Considering the sweetness of the major towns in the state, one must admit it is still a place to be. The people of Akwa Ibom are highly hospitable and happen to love corp members a lot.

Cross River State

Cross River state is home to the Efik people who are known to have some of the best local dishes in Nigeria. Its capital city, Calabar, is also one of the most fun places to be in Nigeria. Just pray and hope you get posted to Calabar, though.

Another positive thing to note is that corp members serving in Government parastatals earn ₦5,000 per month from the state government.

Rivers State

River State is home to the city of Port Harcourt… which is regarded as one of the finest cities in the country. There’s a wide range of opportunities present in Rivers State, Port Harcourt especially. According to reports reaching us, the state doesn’t pay corp members serving with state-owned institutions, schools or ministries. Nevertheless, the job opportunities in the city of Port Harcourt makes the inclusion of Rivers State a must.

Best State to serve in Northern Nigeria

Kano State

States in the northern part of Nigeria, especially North-Eastern states, were ravaged by the activities of Boko Haram – and most recently Fulani Herdsmen. I only promised 10 States, so the only Northern state I deem fit enough for my list is Kano State, because of the opportunities present there. There are, however, several other peaceful states in the North. Examples are Sokoto & Katsina.  

Best States to serve in the Middle-belt (North-Central)

Nasarawa

Nasarawa is by far the best state to serve in the middle-belt. The food there is cheap & the state is very peaceful. And if you’re lucky enough to be posted to Keffi or Karu Local Government Area, then the city of Abuja will be only about 20mins away from you.

Nasarawa state government also pay their corp members serving in government-owned organizations a monthly stipend of ₦5,000, which is another good reason to serve in Nasarawa.

Abuja

Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria… and it’s not possible to list good places to serve without mentioning Abuja. It is not really a state, and that’s why it’s actually the 11th and last location on my list. The city provides its corp members with several job opportunities in NGOs, ministries, private firms, etc. If you know your way in Abuja, you won’t end your service year before you find a job.

In conclusion, make sure you complete your registration very early in order to choose one of the states above. Notwithstanding, wherever you’re posted to shouldn’t matter. Just make sure you add positive value to the people you meet irrespective of your location.

That’s all about choosing a state to serve in Nigeria. I hope you found it interesting 🙂

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