The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Monday approved far-reaching reforms of the National youth Service Corps (NYSC), ending decades of military leadership of the scheme and introducing professional certification programmes aimed at improving the employability of corps members.
The reforms, approved at the Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, will retain the mandatory one-year national service but incorporate flexible, skills-based training designed to equip graduates with industry-recognised qualifications.
Briefing State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the reforms are intended to reposition the NYSC as a more responsive youth development institution capable of preparing graduates for both employment and entrepreneurship.
Under the new framework, the Director-General of the NYSC will no longer be drawn from the military. Instead, the scheme will be headed by a civilian, while the Armed Forces will continue to provide security for corps members across the country.
Olawande said the reforms would also create specialised service streams, including a proposed Digital Corps, under which participants may undergo additional professional training before deployment to their places of primary assignment.
According to him, the extended training period will enable corps members to earn globally recognised professional certifications that will improve their competitiveness in the labour market and expand opportunities for self-employment.
“The one-year service will remain, but it will now incorporate flexible, skills-based training. Graduates enrolled in specialised streams, such as the proposed Digital Corps, may spend additional time in training before deployment in order to obtain professional certifications that enhance employability and support entrepreneurship,” the minister said.
He explained that the reforms are also intended to consolidate youth development programmes under the NYSC to improve coordination, monitoring, accountability and the overall impact of government interventions targeted at young Nigerians.
Providing further clarification, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, said the transition to civilian leadership would not diminish the military’s role in ensuring the safety and security of corps members.
“The security of corps members will remain the responsibility of the Nigerian military. What is changing is the operational leadership of the NYSC, which will now be civilian-led, while the military continues to provide the security architecture necessary for the scheme,” she said.
To facilitate implementation of the reforms, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, to commence amendments to the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations.
The proposed legislative changes are expected to provide the legal framework for the immediate implementation of the reforms once approved by the National Assembly.
Responding to concerns about the increasing migration of skilled Nigerian professionals, popularly known as the “Japa” phenomenon, Bala Usman said the government’s priority is to produce a larger pool of highly skilled graduates, particularly in science, technology, and mathematics (STEM), while equipping them with competencies that will enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
She added that even where such professionals seek opportunities abroad, the skills and experience they acquire could ultimately benefit Nigeria if they return or invest in the country’s economy.
