Federal Govt Approves Comprehensive NYSC Reform, Retains One-year Service

The federal government has approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), retaining the scheme’s one-year duration while introducing skills-based training, digitalisation and other measures aimed at repositioning it for national development.

The approval was granted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday at its meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the reforms represent the first major review of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.

According to him, the reform package was developed through collaboration involving the Ministries of Youth Development and Education, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, and young Nigerians.

The minister said the reforms are designed to strengthen national unity, promote skills development, create jobs and empower young people.

Key components of the reform include the digitalisation of NYSC operations, enhanced security and welfare for corps members, improved orientation camp facilities through stronger partnerships with state governments, redesigning the passing-out parade into a formal graduation ceremony, introducing professional identity certification for corps members, and amending the NYSC Act to align the scheme with current national development priorities.

Also briefing correspondents, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the reforms would retain the NYSC’s one-year service duration while introducing flexible, skills-based training programmes within the service year.

She explained that graduates enrolled in specialised streams, including the proposed Digital Corps, may spend additional time in training before deployment to their primary assignment to obtain professional certifications that enhance employability and self-employment opportunities.

Usman said the NYSC would remain a civilian-led scheme, while the Nigerian military would continue to provide security for corps members nationwide.

She added that the reforms are intended to consolidate youth development programmes under the NYSC to improve coordination, monitoring and accountability.

According to her, the government also aims to equip more graduates, particularly those in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), with relevant skills to contribute to national development, whether they remain in Nigeria or return after gaining international experience.

To provide legal backing for the reforms, Usman said the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations to facilitate the immediate implementation of the approved reforms.