The Federal Government has approved the first comprehensive review of the National Youth Service Corps since it was created 53 years ago, with a new plan to make the scheme civilian-led and focused on practical skills.
The Federal Executive Council gave the approval on Sunday and directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations so the changes can take effect immediately.
Under the new plan, the NYSC will be managed daily by a civilian instead of a military officer. The armed forces will, however, continue to provide security for corps members nationwide. Officials say the move shifts the military’s role from administration to safety, while the scheme is repositioned as a productivity and youth-empowerment programme that supports Nigeria’s $1 trillion economy goal.
Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the reform is needed to build stronger human capital and align young graduates with the country’s development needs.
“We must reposition NYSC as a civilian-led, skill-oriented, productivity-driven, and youth-empowering national institution,” she said.
The reform will affect how corps members are registered, posted, and trained, including how states are assigned and how areas with security concerns are handled. A key part of the change is the creation of 11 service streams that graduates will choose from based on their interests, course of study, and skills.
The streams are Agriculture, Medical, Education, Technology and Digital, Legal, Public Service, Infrastructure, Green Economy, Enterprise, Creative Economy, and Paramilitary/Security. Once mobilised and cleared, every corps member will pick one stream and receive training tailored to it during orientation camp.
The orientation camp will also be restructured into a six-week programme in three blocks. The first two weeks will focus on civic education, national values, and leadership. The next two weeks will cover career planning, basic accounting, financial literacy, business planning, access to funding, and a career day to connect corps members with employers. The final two weeks will be dedicated to hands-on training in the corps member’s chosen stream.
“When a graduate comes in, they will select the stream they want to serve in,” Bala-Usman said, noting that President Bola Tinubu has approved the most far-reaching reform of the NYSC since its founding.
The NYSC was established by Decree No. 24 on May 22, 1973, to promote national unity and integration among Nigerian youths after the Civil War. The scheme is currently led by Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu.
Government said the changes are aimed at equipping graduates with relevant skills, improving their chances of employment, and making the corps more useful to Nigeria’s economic growth.