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.
