By Barnabas Esiet.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), introducing civilian leadership for the scheme and a raft of reforms aimed at repositioning it as a skills-driven institution better equipped to meet Nigeria’s evolving economic and development needs.
The approval was granted at Monday’s FEC meeting in Abuja, with the council also directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to initiate amendments to the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to provide the legal framework for the changes.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who announced the decision, said the reforms are aimed at transforming the NYSC into a skills-driven and productivity-focused institution that aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
According to the minister, the reforms will introduce a technology-driven call-up process and a risk-sensitive deployment system to enhance the safety and welfare of corps members across the country.
He said the six-week orientation camp programme would be redesigned to focus more on leadership development, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career pathways to better prepare participants for the labour market.
Under the new framework, corps members will also be posted to their places of primary assignment based on their academic qualifications and career aspirations.
Orientation camp facilities will be upgraded through a national grading and certification system, while the traditional Passing Out Parade will give way to a formal graduation ceremony. A redesigned NYSC uniform will also be introduced to promote professionalism and national pride.
Despite the transition to civilian leadership, the military will continue to provide security support for corps members nationwide.
Olawande disclosed that the reform process began in 2025 following extensive consultations involving the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination before receiving FEC approval.
Established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War, the NYSC was created to foster national unity by deploying graduates to states outside their regions of origin for one year of compulsory national service.
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