The Federal Executive Council (FEC), on Monday approved the total reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, signaling a major shift in the decades‑old programme in response to mounting security concerns and calls for modernization.
Speaking after FEC meeting presided by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Olawande said the government plans to broaden the yearlong scheme with skills‑development tracks and open the leadership of the agency to civilians and technocrats.
“The NYSC will retain its one‑year duration but introduce flexible, skills‑based training programmes within the service year,” Olawande said.
He said that the reforms will include professional training to boost corps members’ employability.
Under the proposed framework, specialized streams such as a Digital Corps would allow graduates to undertake additional training before deployment to earn professional certifications, the minister said.
Government said the military would continue to provide security for corps members nationwide, while operational leadership of the service would be civilian.
Hajia Hadiza Bala‑Usman, the President’s Special Adviser on policy coordination, said the move is meant to separate day‑to‑day administration from responsibility for safety.
“The safety aspect of our core members still remains with the military, but the operational leadership of the NYSC will be civilian‑led,”Bala‑Usman said.
NewsQuest reports that FEC has directed the Attorney‑General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, to amend the NYSC Act and regulations to provide legal backing for the changes and permit immediate implementation.
The reforms have been described as part of a broader drive to consolidate youth‑development programmes under the NYSC for improved coordination, monitoring and accountability.
Government has also cited efforts to reverse brain drain by increasing the supply of graduates in STEM fields and equipping them with marketable skills so they can contribute to national development, whether at home or abroad.
