Wednesday, May 7, 2025 The federal government has inaugurated a reform committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), aiming to strengthen its structure and enhance its relevance to Nigeria’s national development goals.
The move was announced by Omolara Esan, Director of Public
Relations at the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, in a statement issued
on Tuesday, May 6. According to Esan, the reform initiative will address
structural weaknesses in the scheme and align its operations more closely with
the evolving needs of Nigerian youth.
During the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Minister of Youth
Development Ayodele Olawande acknowledged the NYSC’s historic contributions
since its establishment in 1973, particularly in promoting national unity and
youth empowerment. However, he emphasised the need to modernise the programme
in response to current challenges.
“The issue of safety of corps members, infrastructural
deficits, and the broader question about the relevance of the scheme in an
increasingly dynamic socio-economic landscape are some of the challenges
faced,” Olawande said. “But these also present opportunities that demand
urgent, visionary, and determined action.”
He stated that the reform committee has been mandated to
undertake a comprehensive review of the scheme, including policy and legal
frameworks, stakeholder consultations, and proposals for funding and monitoring
improvements. The committee is also expected to recommend amendments to the
NYSC Act and operational guidelines.
Also present at the inauguration was Minister of Education
Tunji Alausa, who proposed the creation of a teachers’ corps for NCE-certified
graduates and a medical corps for healthcare professionals to serve in rural
areas. He said the initiative would address gaps in education and healthcare,
particularly in underserved regions.
Hadiza Bala Usman, Special Adviser to the President on
Policy and Coordination, underscored the importance of integrating technical
and vocational training into formal education, noting that this would provide
youth with the skills needed to contribute meaningfully to national
development.
The committee is expected to deliver its report to the
Ministry of Youth Development within a stipulated timeframe.
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