FG constitutes committee for NYSC overhaul, eyes stronger national impact

The federal government has inaugurated a reform committee to carry out a comprehensive overhaul of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Omolara Esan, the public relations director at the federal ministry of youth development, announced the move in a statement on Tuesday.

Esan said the reform is aimed at strengthening the structure, relevance, and impact of the NYSC, while aligning it more closely with Nigeria’s national development priorities and the evolving needs of young people.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, Ayodele Olawande, minister of youth development, said the NYSC scheme has played a crucial role in promoting national unity and youth empowerment since its establishment in 1973.

However, Olawande noted that the time had come to “reassess and modernise” the NYSC to address current realities.

“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,” he said.

“But these also present opportunities that demand urgent, visionary, and determined action.”

Olawande added that the committee has been mandated to conduct a “comprehensive review” of the scheme and recommend reforms to reposition it as a “secure, innovative, and impactful institution.”

The committee’s terms of reference include reviewing existing policy and legal frameworks guiding the scheme.

It includes holding stakeholder consultations nationwide; recommending amendments to the NYSC Act and operational guidelines; and proposing a framework for improved funding, monitoring, and evaluation.

The minister also stressed that the outcome of the review must align with national development objectives and strengthen the NYSC’s role as a tool for youth empowerment and nation-building.

Present at the inauguration was Tunji Alausa, minister of education, who proposed the introduction of a teachers’ corps and medical corps for NCE-certified graduates and healthcare professionals willing to serve in rural communities respectively.

Alausa said the teachers’ corps could help close educational gaps and provide a pathway to public sector employment, while the medical corps would improve healthcare delivery in underserved areas, with particular focus on maternal and child health.

Also speaking at the event, Hadiza Bala Usman, special adviser to the president on policy and coordination, emphasised the need to align technical and vocational training with formal education.

She said doing so would equip young people with relevant skills to make “meaningful, long-term contributions” to their communities and the country.

The committee is expected to submit a detailed report to the youth ministry within an agreed-upon timeframe.