Full List: 5 New Things That Will Happen to Corps Members as Tinubu Breaks Silence on NYSC Reforms
- President Bola Tinubu said the NYSC reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday are aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical skills for national development
- The reforms include a six-week orientation programme covering entrepreneurship, digital literacy, and career readiness, replacing the previous three-week camp format
- Tinubu directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and Ministry of Justice to begin amending the NYSC Act to give the reforms legal backing
FCT, Abuja - President Bola Tinubu has publicly explained the rationale behind his administration's sweeping reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), describing the changes as the most significant overhaul of the scheme since its founding in 1973.
Tinubu outlined the reforms in a statement published on his official X handle on Wednesday, two days after the Federal Executive Council gave its approval on Monday, June 30.
Source: Twitter
"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," he said.
NYSC reforms: What will change?
While acknowledging that the NYSC had preserved national unity for over five decades, Tinubu argued that Nigeria's current realities demand a more purposeful approach.
He noted that young people constitute nearly 70 per cent of the country's population, calling them "the engine" rather than a burden to be managed, Punch reported.
Under the new framework, the orientation programme will be extended to six weeks and restructured to cover civic responsibility, leadership, career readiness, entrepreneurship, digital and financial literacy, and specialised training tied to each corps member's academic background.
Training sectors will include agriculture, health, technology, education, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, the creative economy, enterprise, and para-military and security services.
Deployment will shift to a technology-driven call-up system, with primary postings aligned more closely to individual skills and career streams. For states facing security challenges, Tinubu said deployment would prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions in those states, and corps members from neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zone.
On governance, the NYSC will be led by a civilian Director-General supported by three Executive Directors, one of whom, the Security Services Executive Director, will be drawn from the military or paramilitary ranks. Orientation camps will be assessed under a national grading and certification framework, and states will be required to meet minimum operational standards.
Passing-out parade renamed graduation ceremony
Tinubu announced that the traditional Passing-Out Parade would be renamed a Graduation Ceremony, reflecting the administration's intention for corps members to exit the scheme as trained contributors rather than simply completing a mandatory obligation.
"Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise and national service," he stated.
The President commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination Hadiza Bala Usman, the Federal Ministry of Education, and members of the reform committee for their work on the initiative.
He subsequently directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Justice to initiate amendments to the NYSC Act and its subsidiary regulations, giving the reforms a formal legal foundation.
"To every young Nigerian: this nation believes in you. We are building a country worthy of your talent, your ambition and your future," Tinubu added.
Nigerians react to NYSC reforms
Previously, Legit.ng reported that mixed reactions have trailed the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government’s decision to extend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation programme from three weeks to six weeks.
Legit.ng reports that the Federal Executive Council approved a comprehensive reform for NYSC 53 years after it was established.
Source: Legit.ng
