FEC retains one-year NYSC, approves civilian leadership, new uniform and major reforms

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive package of reforms for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), including a new civilian leadership structure, redesigned uniform and skills-based training, while retaining the scheme’s one-year mandatory service period.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Monday after the weekly FEC meeting at the State House, Abuja, describing the changes as the first major review of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.

According to the minister, the reforms were developed through consultations involving the Federal Ministries of Youth Development and Education, as well as the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, with the aim of strengthening national unity, promoting youth empowerment and improving productivity.

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He said the approved measures include a technology-driven call-up process, risk-sensitive deployment to enhance the safety of corps members, a redesigned six-week orientation camp with greater emphasis on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career pathways, as well as skills-based primary assignments aligned with participants’ academic qualifications and career interests.

Olawande added that the reforms also introduce a civilian operational leadership structure for the NYSC, while the military will continue to provide security support. Other changes include improved orientation camp standards through a national grading and certification system, the replacement of the traditional passing-out parade with a graduation ceremony, and the introduction of a redesigned NYSC uniform aimed at promoting professionalism and national identity.

“The approved reforms will reposition the NYSC as a skills-driven, productivity-focused and youth-empowering institution that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a one-trillion-dollar economy,” the minister said.

Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy Coordination, Hadiza Bala-Usman, said specialised groups of corps members, including a proposed Digital Corps, could undergo additional training and obtain professional certifications before deployment to improve their employability and prospects for self-employment.

She stressed that the NYSC would remain a civilian-led organisation, while the military would continue to provide security for corps members throughout their service year.

To facilitate the implementation of the reforms, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Development, to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to give legal backing to the approved measures.