Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has encouraged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to embrace entrepreneurship, saying it offers better financial rewards than relying on increasingly scarce white-collar jobs.
The governor made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 2026 NYSC Corps Employers’ Workshop in Uyo. Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr. Ekerette Ekanem, Eno urged corps members to take advantage of the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to become self-reliant and job creators.
According to the governor, entrepreneurship provides a more sustainable path to financial independence than waiting for salaried employment.
“Today, being an employer of labour, an entrepreneur pays better than a white collar job. Corps members must strive to become employers of labour rather than job seekers.
“We are in a society where the population keeps increasing while we have limited resources, so I strongly commend the SAED scheme of the NYSC which is aimed at making our young people become employers and independent rather than job seekers,” he said.
Eno also commended corps members serving in Akwa Ibom State for their commitment and dedication, citing a corps member who recently received the state’s Award for Excellence for outstanding service.
“Let me specifically commend the corps members posted to Akwa Ibom State for their commitment, loyalty and dedication to service. Yesterday, a Corps Member who served at the Comprehensive Secondary School, Okobo, received the State Award for Excellence.
“Let this serve as encouragement to all corps members serving in Akwa Ibom and across Nigeria,” he added.
