BY FRONTLINE REPORTERS
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first major overhaul of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago.
The reform package is designed to transform the NYSC into a civilian-led, skills-driven and productivity-focused institution aimed at equipping Nigerian youths with practical competencies to support the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
As part of the reforms, FEC directed the Attorney-General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to accommodate the approved changes and facilitate their immediate implementation.
One of the major highlights of the reform is the transition of the scheme’s operational leadership from military to civilian administration. While the military will continue to provide security for corps members nationwide, overall leadership of the agency will rest with civilians.
Speaking on the development, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the reforms were necessary to reposition the NYSC to meet the country’s evolving economic and human capital needs.
She explained that the new framework is intended to strengthen workforce development by aligning the scheme with national development priorities.
According to her, the reforms cover virtually every aspect of the NYSC, including registration, deployment, security considerations, orientation camp structure and skills development.
“The objective is to build the human capital required to drive Nigeria’s economic growth by repositioning the NYSC as a civilian-led, skill-oriented, productivity-driven and youth-empowering institution,” she said.
11 Specialised Service Streams
A key feature of the reform is the introduction of 11 specialised service streams that will enable corps members to receive training tailored to their academic qualifications, career interests and skill profiles.
Bala Usman said the government reviewed the areas where Nigerian youths could make the greatest impact and structured the programme to provide additional professional training beyond university education.
Under the new orientation camp structure, the six-week programme will be divided into three phases.
The first two weeks will focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership development.
The second phase will cover career mapping, financial literacy, business planning, entrepreneurship and access to finance, alongside a structured career development programme that will expose corps members to opportunities in both the public and private sectors.
The final two weeks will be dedicated to specialised training based on each participant’s chosen service stream.
The 11 streams include Agric Corps, Medical Corps, Education Corps, Tech and Digital Corps, Legal Corps, Public Service Corps, Infrastructure Corps, Green Corps, Enterprise Corps, Creative Economy Corps, and Paramilitary and Security Corps.
According to Bala Usman, every prospective corps member will be required to select a preferred stream during registration. The selected stream, together with the individual’s academic background and skills profile, will determine the specialised training to be received during orientation.
She described the reform as the most far-reaching transformation of the NYSC since its creation in 1973.
“What is important is that Mr President has taken this bold decision to undertake a holistic reform of the NYSC, something that has never been done in the 53 years of its existence. The goal is to build the capacity of Nigerian youths and enable them to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s aspiration of becoming 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 reconciliation, integration and unity among young Nigerians.
The scheme is currently headed by Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu.
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2026-06-29