Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved the first comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) since the scheme was established 53 years ago.
The reforms include the full digitalisation of the scheme’s operations, enhanced security and welfare measures for corps members, and improved attention to their special needs.
The council approved the upgrade of orientation camps nationwide, with state governments expected to provide facilities that meet clearly defined national standards.
The approval was granted yesterday at the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the reforms followed an extensive review of the NYSC, established in 1973 to promote national unity after the Nigerian Civil War.
He noted that the review was undertaken jointly by the Ministry of Youth Development, the Ministry of Education and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
According to the minister, the reforms were designed to reposition the NYSC beyond mobilisation into a platform for skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship and stronger national cohesion.
‘The goals are straightforward. We want to build an NYSC beyond mobilisation.
‘We are looking and working for stronger partnerships for skill development, job creation, possibilities and national growth’, Olawande said.
He added that the traditional passing-out parade would be redesigned into a formal graduation ceremony to reflect the expanded training and skills acquisition programme.
Olawande said corps members’ professional identities and skills would now be recognised throughout their service year, while the Federal Government would initiate amendments to the NYSC Act to give legal backing to the reforms.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, described the reform as holistic and unprecedented, saying it covers virtually every aspect of the NYSC’s operations.
She explained that the reforms are intended to align the scheme with President Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by strengthening Nigeria’s human capital and equipping graduates with market-relevant skills.
‘This is the first time there has been a holistic reform. The reform areas speak to all the strategic aspects of NYSC, starting from registration, deployment, security considerations, orientation camp structure and skills recognition’, she said.
Usman said the government had redesigned the orientation programme into a structured six-week exercise.
She explained that the first two weeks would focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership development, while the next two weeks would cover career mapping, financial literacy, business planning and access to finance.
According to her, the final two weeks will provide specialised training tailored to each corps member’s chosen career pathway.
As part of the reform, she announced the creation of 11 specialised corps streams through which graduates will receive additional professional training based on their academic background, interests and skills.
The streams include agriculture, medical, education, technology and digital, legal, public service, infrastructure, green economy, enterprise, creative economy, and paramilitary and security.
