Stuck in limbo: NYSC delay is failing Nigerian youths

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has always been a subject of public debate. Chances are that you have read or heard someone speak about the many ills of the scheme.  From orientation camps lacking basic amenities, to the growing security concerns, and more recently, the troubling demand for forced silence from corps members on national issues, all in the name of patriotism. Add to that the long-standing complaints about the frequent mismatch between graduates’ career goals and their postings. These are serious issues, yes, but they’ve also become sadly expected. They are problems we’ve grown familiar with, unfortunately.

But a new and disturbing trend is quietly emerging: NYSC is now significantly delaying the admission of some qualified graduates into the scheme.  Although there have been cases like this in the past, the scale at which this is fast becoming the norm should call for concern. It is a serious issue that’s quietly harming thousands of young Nigerians and, by extension, the nation. Every time young talent is left undeveloped or unengaged, it becomes a ticking time bomb for national progress. The country cannot afford to leave its youth stranded at such a critical junction in their lives.

To be clear: I love NYSC. I’ve never been in support of scrapping it. Despite its many issues, I still believe it plays a meaningful role in promoting national cohesion and giving graduates a year to pause, reflect, and make important life and career decisions. It did that for me, and for many others I know. But loving something does not mean ignoring its failings — especially when those failings threaten individual and collective prosperity.

In recent conversations with graduates, I was appalled to learn that some of them have been waiting for months after graduation for their NYSC call-up letters. Some had even waited over a year. At first, I thought these were isolated cases. Delays do happen, sometimes due to unfortunate or bureaucratic issues. But what was more troubling was that this doesn’t seem like the exception anymore. It is fast becoming a silent norm. And it is happening to graduates from diverse institutions all across the country.

The common explanation has been that NYSC lacks the capacity to process the increasing number of graduates. That’s a curious problem. The growth in graduate numbers is definitely not news. Anyone paying just a little attention over the last decade would know it’s been steadily climbing. There are no surprises here.  Students aren’t manufactured from thin air. JAMB, for instance, compiles annual data on tertiary admissions. That data, combined with an honest look at NYSC’s existing capacity, should have sparked a proper plan to restructure the system and upgrade NYSC’s capacity years ago. Yet, here we are.

The implication of this delay is costly.

First, it exacerbates Nigeria’s already severe unemployment crisis. But this is a different kind of unemployment. This isn’t just about a lack of jobs or unqualified graduates. It’s about qualified young people who can’t be employed because they’re stuck in limbo, waiting to serve. Many corporate organisations in Nigeria won’t hire someone who might be posted across the country at any moment. The delay itself then becomes an added barrier to employment.

Layer that with the harsh reality of the increasingly younger age limits for entry-level jobs. Also, add to that the prolonged time many students already spend in school due to national and institutional delays. The factor in how long it typically takes for Nigerian graduates to land meaningful work. The result? A generation cut off from early career opportunities through no fault of their own.

Nigeria has a predominantly young population, with over 60% under the age of 30. That kind of demographic can be a national asset if the young people are skilled, productively engaged, and supported. But when they are stalled, underutilised, and disillusioned, it’s a national crisis in the making.

Young people deserve better. There’s already growing disenfranchisement in the hope of building a decent career and a better life. Increasingly, young Nigerians are becoming sceptical that this country has much to offer them. We shouldn’t be adding easily avoidable problems like NYSC delays to the long list of hurdles they already face just to build a decent life.

NYSC must urgently upgrade whatever technical and human capacity is needed to address this issue. There’s no rule that says orientation camps must only run a few times a year. NYSC can hold orientation camps every two months if that’s what it takes. We can’t afford to stay stuck in an outdated batch system when the number of graduates keeps rising.

This is the life of young people we are dealing with. The nation needs to do better by them. Especially a nation that mandates them to give a full year of their professional prime!

Oluwatoyin is a STEM Education Doctoral Researcher.  She writes from Nigeria and the United States. She can be reached at [email protected] or on LinkedIn here.