President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday said the newly approved reforms to the National Youth Service Corps are designed to prepare young Nigerians for employment, entrepreneurship, leadership and national development, describing the changes as one of the most significant overhauls of the scheme since its establishment in 1973.
Speaking in a statement shared on his official X account, the President said theNYSC reforms reflect his administration’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young Nigerians and ensuring the scheme remains relevant to the country’s evolving needs.
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Tinubu recalled the promise he made at his inauguration to prioritise young people and women in governance, saying the reforms represent part of that commitment.
“On the day I was sworn in as your President, I promised to create meaningful opportunities for our young people. I said women and youth would feature prominently in our administration, and this reform is partly the actualisation of that promise,” the President said.
According to Tinubu, although the NYSC has successfully promoted national unity for more than five decades, the country’s changing social and economic realities require a broader mandate for the scheme.
“For 53 years, the NYSC has served the cause of national unity. That mission remains important and must be preserved. But the Nigeria of today demands more.
“Our young people are nearly 70 per cent of our population. They are not a burden to be managed. They are the engine,” he said.
Under the approved reforms, the NYSC orientation programme will be extended from three weeks to six weeks, with expanded training in civic responsibility, leadership, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, financial literacy and career readiness.
Corps members will also receive specialised training aligned with their academic qualifications and career interests.
The programme will cover sectors including agriculture, healthcare, education, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, enterprise, the creative economy, as well as paramilitary and security services.
“Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise and national service,” Tinubu said.
A major feature of the reform package is a new deployment framework aimed at improving the safety of corps members.
The President said deployment to states experiencing security challenges would prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions within affected states and those from neighbouring states in the same geopolitical zone.
The Federal Government also plans to digitise the call-up process and improve the matching of primary assignments with corps members’ qualifications, skills and career aspirations.
As part of the restructuring, the NYSC will now be headed by a civilian Director-General supported by three Executive Directors. Tinubu disclosed that one of the Executive Directors will oversee Security Services and will be appointed from the military or paramilitary.
The reforms further introduce a national grading and certification framework for orientation camps, with states expected to meet minimum operational standards to maintain quality across the country.
Another symbolic change announced by the President is the renaming of the traditional Passing-Out Parade.
“The Passing-Out Parade will become a Graduation Ceremony because our corps members will no longer merely complete service. They will graduate as trained civic and professional contributors to national development,” Tinubu said.
The reforms were approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday following recommendations from a committee established to review the future of the NYSC.
Tinubu commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, his Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, the Federal Ministry of Education and members of the reform committee for developing what he described as a transformative framework for the scheme.
The President also directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Justice to begin the process of amending the NYSC Act and its subsidiary regulations to provide legal backing for the reforms.
The NYSC was established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War to promote national integration and unity through compulsory one-year service for graduates.
Over the years, stakeholders have repeatedly called for reforms to make the programme more responsive to security concerns, unemployment and the country’s changing workforce demands.
Concluding his message, Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s confidence in Nigeria’s youth.
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“To every young Nigerian: this nation believes in you. We are building a country worthy of your talent, your ambition and your future,” he said.
Mariam Balogun is a contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
