By Monsurat Abisoye
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive restructuring of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first major review of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago.
Approved at Monday’s FEC meeting in Abuja, the reforms are designed to transform the NYSC into a skills-driven and productivity-focused institution aligned with the Federal Government’s economic agenda. A key change is the introduction of civilian leadership for the scheme, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members nationwide.
The council also directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and related regulations to provide legal backing for the reforms.
Announcing the decision on X, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, described the changes as the first holistic review in the scheme’s history. He said the reforms would equip young Nigerians with skills and opportunities needed in a rapidly changing world and support President Bola Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy.
According to the minister, the reforms include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment of corps members, a redesigned six-week orientation programme focused on leadership, entrepreneurship and digital skills, specialised career streams, skills-based primary assignments, improved camp standards through a national grading system, a new graduation ceremony to replace the Passing Out Parade, and a redesigned NYSC uniform.
Olawande said the reform process began in 2025 and involved consultations with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, the Federal Ministry of Education and the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination before receiving FEC approval.
Established in 1973 after the Nigerian Civil War to promote national unity through compulsory one-year service outside graduates’ regions of origin, the NYSC is now set for its most significant transformation as the Federal Government seeks to make the scheme more relevant to contemporary economic and youth development needs.
