The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Monday approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to align the 53-year-old scheme with Nigeria’s current development priorities.
Mr Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, disclosed this while briefing State House correspondents after the FEC meeting, presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
He said the reform followed a comprehensive review undertaken by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and other relevant stakeholders.
According to him, the review was conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministries of Education and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President.
Olawande said the reforms were designed to reposition the NYSC beyond mobilisation into a platform for skills development, employment and national growth.
“We want to build an NYSC beyond just mobilisation. We are looking at strong partnerships for skill development, job creation and national growth,” he said.
The minister said the reforms would strengthen digital operations, improve the welfare and security of corps members and address emerging national priorities.
“The key reforms include digital transformation, self-development for corps members, security and attention to special issues,” he said.
He said the framework also provides for the upgrading of orientation camps through stronger collaboration with state governments.
“We want every state to have standard orientation camps for our young people,” Olawande said.
The minister added that the passing-out parade would be redesigned into a formal graduation ceremony to reflect the skills and competencies acquired by corps members.
“The passing-out parade should be redesigned from just a parade to a proper graduation ceremony,” he said.
He also disclosed that the reform would introduce a strengthened professional identity for corps members and review the NYSC Act to support the new framework.
Mrs Hadiza Bala Usman , Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination and Head of the Central Results Delivery Coordination Unit (CRDCU), said with the reform, the NYSC will be led by a civilian in its operational leadership.
She stressed that the military will continue to handle security for corps members across the country.
According to her, the reform will reposition the NYSC as a skill-oriented, productivity-driven, youth-empowering institution that directly supports the administration’s ambition of building a $1trn economy.
