The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sweeping reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first major overhaul of the scheme in its 53-year history.
As part of the reforms, the FEC directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations to give legal backing to the approved changes and facilitate their implementation.
A key feature of the reform is the transition of the NYSC to civilian operational leadership, while the military will continue to provide security for corps members across the country.
The Federal Government said the changes are aimed at transforming the NYSC into a skill-oriented, productivity-driven and youth-empowering institution capable of supporting the administration’s target of building a $1 trillion economy.
Speaking after the FEC meeting, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the reforms are designed to strengthen human capital development and better align the scheme with Nigeria’s economic priorities.
“There was a need for us to intervene to build the present ambition of a $1 trillion economy by repositioning the NYSC as a civilian-led, skill-oriented, productivity-driven and youth-empowering national institution,” she said.
She explained that the reforms cover key aspects of the scheme, including registration, deployment, security considerations and the orientation camp programme.
11 specialised corps streams
According to Bala Usman, the restructured NYSC will introduce 11 specialised streams to better match graduates’ academic backgrounds, skills and career interests with national development needs.
The streams are: Agric Corps, Medical Corps, Education Corps, Tech and Digital Corps, Legal Corps, Public Service Corps, Infrastructure Corps, Green Corps, Enterprise Corps, Creative Economy Corps, Paramilitary and Security Corps
She said corps members will select their preferred stream during registration and receive specialised training tailored to their chosen field.
Under the new orientation programme, the first two weeks will focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership development.
The next two weeks will cover career mapping, financial literacy, business planning, entrepreneurship and access to finance, alongside a structured Career Day programme that will connect corps members with employers and industry stakeholders.
The final two weeks will provide specialised training based on each participant’s selected stream, academic background and skills.
Bala Usman described the reforms as the most comprehensive since the NYSC was established in 1973.
“Mr President, in his usual bold and courageous way, has taken on this holistic reform of the NYSC, which has never been done in the last 53 years of its establishment. NYSC will be civilian-led, with a clear focus on developing the skills of Nigerian youths to support the country’s aspiration of building a $1 trillion economy,” she said.
The NYSC was established by Decree No. 24 of May 22, 1973, following the Nigerian Civil War to promote national unity and foster integration among young Nigerians. The scheme is currently headed by Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu.
