The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a far-reaching overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), introducing sweeping changes aimed at transforming the scheme into a platform for skills development, entrepreneurship and employment.
The approval was granted on Monday at the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, marking the first major reform of the NYSC since it was established in 1973.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the reforms followed a comprehensive review carried out 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 him, the objective is to move the NYSC beyond its traditional mobilisation role by equipping graduates with practical skills, promoting entrepreneurship, creating employment opportunities and strengthening national unity.
Among the key reforms approved are the complete digitalisation of NYSC operations, improved security measures, enhanced welfare packages for corps members and a stronger focus on addressing their individual needs.
The Federal Government will also upgrade orientation camps nationwide, with state governments expected to provide facilities that meet approved national standards.
In another significant shift, the long-standing passing-out parade will be replaced with a graduation ceremony to reflect the expanded training and professional development that corps members will undergo during their service year.
Olawande said the government would seek amendments to the NYSC Act to provide the legal backing required for the reforms. He added that corps members' professional qualifications and newly acquired skills would receive greater recognition throughout the service year.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, described the package as the most comprehensive review of the NYSC in over five decades.
She said the reforms align with President Tinubu's economic agenda by producing a more skilled workforce capable of driving Nigeria's long-term economic growth.
According to Usman, the orientation programme has been redesigned into a structured six-week curriculum.
The first two weeks will focus on civic education, leadership and national values. The next two weeks will centre on financial literacy, career planning, business development and access to funding opportunities. The final two weeks will provide specialised training tailored to each corps member's chosen career path.
Under the new structure, every participant will register under one of 11 specialised service streams: Agriculture, Medical, Education, Technology and Digital, Legal, Public Service, Infrastructure, Green Economy, Enterprise, Creative Economy, and Paramilitary and Security.
Corps members will select their preferred stream during registration and receive targeted training throughout the orientation exercise to boost employability and prepare them for the demands of the modern workforce.
Usman also disclosed that deployment procedures would be reviewed to give greater consideration to prevailing security conditions before corps members are posted across the country.
She, however, stressed that the NYSC would remain a civilian institution, noting that the reforms are designed to reposition the scheme as a vehicle for skills acquisition, productivity and workforce development while enabling young graduates to make greater contributions to Nigeria's economy.
