…President Unveils Radical, New NYSC
…Ties deployment to security risk assessment
By Jeremy Fregene
President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday defended his administration’s sweeping overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), announcing that the scheme will henceforth be headed by a civilian Director-General instead of a military officer as part of the most far-reaching reforms since its establishment over five decades ago.
The President also disclosed that corps members posted to states facing security challenges will now be deployed based on detailed risk assessments, while a new skills-driven orientation programme will prepare participants for careers aligned with their academic qualifications and professional aspirations.
In a post on his official X account, Tinubu described the reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday as the most consequential in the history of the NYSC since it was created in 1973.
According to him, the reforms are intended to transform the scheme from a mobilisation programme into a national platform for youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, productivity, and economic development.
“On Monday, at the Federal Executive Council, our administration approved the most consequential reforms of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme since its establishment in 1973,” the President stated.
He said the reforms fulfil a pledge he made during his inauguration to place young Nigerians at the centre of his administration’s development agenda.
“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.”
A major feature of the reforms is the restructuring of the NYSC leadership, with a civilian Director-General taking charge of the scheme, assisted by three Executive Directors, including one drawn from the military or paramilitary services to oversee security matters.
Tinubu noted that while the NYSC has played a significant role in promoting national unity over the last 52 years, evolving national realities demand a broader mandate focused on economic growth and youth development.
“Our young people are nearly 70 per cent of our population. They are not a burden to be managed. They are the engine of the one-trillion-dollar economy we are building and the hope of this nation.
“We are repositioning the NYSC from a mobilisation scheme into a national development platform for skills, employability, productivity, and enterprise,” he said.
Under the new framework, the orientation camp programme will be extended to six weeks and redesigned to include civic responsibility, leadership, national values, and personal development before advancing to entrepreneurship, digital and financial literacy, career readiness, and specialised professional training.
The specialised training streams will cover agriculture, education, healthcare, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, entrepreneurship, the creative industry, as well as para-military and security services.
Tinubu also announced a major shift in the deployment of corps members to states experiencing security threats.
According to him, postings to such states will now be based on comprehensive security risk assessments and will prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions located within those states, and candidates from neighbouring states in the same geopolitical zone.
“Deployment to security-challenged states will be guided by risk assessment. It will prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions in those states, and those from neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zones,” he said.
He added that the mobilisation process would become fully technology-driven, while primary assignments would be matched more closely with corps members’ academic qualifications, professional competencies, and career interests.
The President further disclosed that orientation camps would henceforth be evaluated under a national grading and certification system, while the traditional Passing-Out Parade would give way to a Graduation Ceremony to reflect the expanded scope and objectives of the reformed scheme.
Tinubu said he has directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Justice to commence amendments to the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to provide the legal framework for the reforms.
He also commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, the Federal Ministry of Education, and members of the reform committee for their contributions to the initiative.
Addressing Nigerian youths directly, the President declared: “This nation believes in you. We are building a country worthy of your talent, your ambition, and your future.“