Civilian leadership, new uniform, technology-driven call-up process and oda changes federal govment make to NYSC

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Di Federal Executive Council (FEC) for Nigeria don approve comprehensive reform of di National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Dem make di approval to modernise di 53-year-old scheme and beta prepare Nigerian graduates for di future.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announce di approval on Monday, 29 June, and describe am as first holistic review of di NYSC since di govment of General Yakubu Gowon establish di scheme for 1973.

According to di minister, di reforms go reposition di NYSC as a skills-driven, productivity-focused and youth-empowering institution in line wit President Bola Tinubu vision of building $1 trillion economy.

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Wetin be di key changes

  • New governance structure: Di NYSC go operate under civilian operational leadership, while di military go continue to provide security support.
  • Technology-driven call-up process: Di mobilisation process go become technology-driven to improve efficiency, transparency and ease of service.
  • Risk-sensitive deployment: NYSC go deploy corps members wit greater consideration for security risks to enhance dia safety across di kontri.
  • Redesigned orientation programme: Di six-week orientation programme go place greater emphasis on leadership training, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career streams.
  • Skills-based primary assignments: NYSC go post corps members to places of primary assignment wey align wit dia academic background and career aspirations.
  • Improved camp standards: Orientation camps nationwide go dey assessed under national grading and certification system wey aim to improve facilities and service delivery.
  • Graduation ceremony and new uniforms: Dem go replace di traditional Passing Out Parade wit graduation ceremony, while corps members go receive redesigned uniforms wey go reflect professionalism and national pride.

"Dis reform journey begin for 2025 through broad-based, multi-stakeholder review wey involve di Federal Ministry of Youth Development, di Federal Ministry of Education and di Office of di Special Adviser to di President on Policy and Coordination," Olawande tok.

E add say di Federal Executive Council don direct di Attorney-General of di Federation and di Federal Ministry of Youth Development to commence amendments to di NYSC Act and regulations to give legal backing to di reforms.

Di minister describe di approval as investment for Nigeria young pipo, and add say di reforms go preserve di NYSC legacy of national unity while equipping graduates wit di skills and opportunities wey dey needed to thrive for changing economy.

Orientation camp go dey restructured into three phases

Speaking further on di planned reforms, di Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, say di six-week NYSC orientation camp go dey restructured into three distinct phases wey aim to prepare corps members for national service careers.

  • Weeks 1–2: Civic responsibility, national values and leadership development.
  • Weeks 3–4: Career mapping, financial literacy, business planning and access to finance.
  • Weeks 5–6: Specialised training based on each corps member chosen career stream.

Usman say under di new framework, prospective corps members go choose one of 11 specialised streams during registration and receive targeted training throughout di orientation programme.

Specialised streams for NYSC wey federal govment approve

Hadiza Bala Usman say NYSC go get streams wey dey designed to equip graduates wit practical skills aligned wit dia academic backgrounds, career aspirations and Nigeria workforce needs.

Di streams na:

  • Agric Corps
  • Medical Corps
  • Education Corps
  • Tech and Digital Corps
  • Legal Corps
  • Public Service Corps
  • Infrastructure Corps
  • Green Corps
  • Enterprise Corps
  • Creative Economy Corps
  • Paramilitary and Security Corps

History of National Youth Service Corps

Na di military administration of General Yakubu Gowon establish di National Youth Service Corps by Decree No. 24 of May 22, 1973.

Gowon establish di scheme afta di Nigerian Civil War to encourage national unity, reconciliation and integration by deploying Nigerian graduates to states wey no be dia states of origin to serve di nation and interact wit pipo from different ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.

Ova di past 53 years, millions of graduates don participate for di one-year mandatory national service, wey get three-week orientation camp, primary assignment, community development service and passing-out activities.

While di scheme don remain major platform for nation-building, e don also face growing calls for reform sake of concerns about security, infrastructure, relevance and graduate employability.