The Federal Government has unveiled a sweeping reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), introducing 11 specialised career streams, a six-week orientation programme, a new camp structure and several other changes aimed at equipping corps members with practical skills for the workforce.
The reforms, approved by the Federal Executive Council, were described by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, as the first comprehensive review of the NYSC since it was established in 1973.
Speaking after the FEC meeting in Abuja, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, explained that the orientation programme will now last six weeks instead of three.
The programme will be divided into three phases of two weeks each. The first phase will focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership development. The second phase will cover career mapping, financial literacy, business planning and access to finance, while the final phase will provide specialised training based on each corps member’s chosen career stream.
Under the new framework, every corps member will select one of 11 specialised streams during registration. They 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 Usman, corps members will receive practical training tailored to their academic background, career interests and the country’s workforce needs.
The reforms also introduce a risk-sensitive deployment system, allowing security conditions across states to play a greater role in posting corps members.
In another major change, the NYSC will now be headed by a civilian Director-General, while the military will continue to provide security for corps members nationwide.
The government also approved a new NYSC uniform, the replacement of the traditional Passing Out Parade with a graduation ceremony, and the introduction of a national grading and certification system to standardise facilities across orientation camps.
The Federal Executive Council has directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to give legal backing to the reforms.
