The Federal Executive Council has approved the first comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps since the scheme was established 53 years ago, paving the way for a major restructuring aimed at transforming it into a skills-driven, productivity-focused national institution.
The approval was granted on Monday at the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
Briefing journalists after the meeting, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the reform followed an extensive review of the NYSC, which was established in 1973 to promote national unity after the Nigerian Civil War.
Olawande described the approval as a landmark in the history of the scheme, noting that the review was jointly undertaken by the Ministry of Youth Development, the Ministry of Education, and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination.
According to him, the reform is designed to reposition the NYSC beyond the annual mobilisation of graduates into a platform for skills development, job creation, entrepreneurship and stronger national cohesion.
“The goals are simple and straightforward. We want to build an NYSC beyond mobilisation. We are looking and working for stronger partnerships for skill development, job creation, possibilities and national growth,” Olawande said.
He disclosed that the reforms include the full digitalisation of the scheme’s operations, enhanced security and welfare measures for corps members, and improved attention to corps members with special needs.
The minister also said the council approved the upgrading of orientation camps across the country, with state governments expected to provide facilities that meet clearly defined national standards.
He added that the traditional passing-out parade would be redesigned into a formal graduation ceremony to reflect the expanded training and skills acquisition programme under the reformed scheme.
Olawande further revealed that corps members’ professional identities and skills would now be recognised throughout their service year.
He said the Federal Government would also initiate amendments to the NYSC Act to provide legal backing for the reforms.
Providing further details, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, described the reform as holistic and unprecedented, saying it covers virtually every aspect of the NYSC’s operations.
She said the reforms are intended to align the scheme with President Tinubu’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy by strengthening Nigeria’s human capital and equipping graduates with market-relevant skills.
“This is the first time there has been a holistic reform. The reform areas speak to all the strategic aspects of NYSC, starting from registration, deployment, security considerations, orientation camp structure and skills recognition,” she said.
Usman said the government had redesigned the NYSC orientation programme into a structured six-week exercise.
According to her, the first two weeks will focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership development, while the next two weeks will cover career mapping, financial literacy, business planning and access to finance.
She added that the final two weeks will provide specialised training tailored to each corps member’s chosen career pathway.
As part of the reform, Usman announced the creation of 11 specialised corps streams through which graduates will receive additional professional training based on their academic background, interests and skills.
The streams are Agriculture, Medical, Education, Technology and Digital, Legal, Public Service, Infrastructure, Green Economy, Enterprise, Creative Economy, and Paramilitary and Security.
She said every corps member would be required to select one of the streams during registration and would receive specialised training throughout the orientation programme in preparation for future employment and national service.
Usman noted that the reform also covers deployment procedures, including how corps members are posted across states, with greater consideration for prevailing security realities.
She described the approval as one of the boldest reforms undertaken by the Tinubu administration in the youth sector.
According to her, the reformed NYSC will remain a civilian-led institution but with renewed emphasis on skills acquisition, productivity and workforce development.
She said the goal is to better prepare Nigerian graduates to contribute meaningfully to national development, economic growth and public service.
The reform marks a major shift in the NYSC’s operational model, moving the scheme from a primarily mobilisation and national integration platform to a structured system for professional development, entrepreneurship, employability and national productivity.
