The Federal Government has inaugurated a committee to implement significant reforms in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The initiative aims to strengthen the scheme, enhance its relevance to national development, and better align it with the aspirations of Nigerian youths.
This move comes amid growing concerns over corps members’ safety, inadequate infrastructure, and questions about the NYSC’s relevance in today’s socio-economic landscape.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday in Abuja, with key stakeholders from government, civil society, and the private sector in attendance.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, said the NYSC has played an important role in building national unity and helping young people since 1973.
He said, “The issues of corps members’ safety, infrastructural challenges, and the broader question of the scheme’s relevance in an increasingly dynamic socio-economic environment are among the key concerns. However, these challenges also present opportunities that require urgent, visionary, and determined action.
“The outcome of this review must align with broader national development objectives, positioning the NYSC as a strategic tool for youth empowerment and nation-building,” he said.
The committee will review current NYSC policies, talk to people across the country and suggest changes to laws, policies, and how the scheme is run.
It will also come up with better ways to fund, track and improve the NYSC.
The final report will be submitted to the minister within a set time.
Also at the event, the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the government planned to start a Teachers’ Corps and a Medical Corps.
These will be for NCE graduates and healthcare workers ready to serve in rural areas.
Alausa explained, “The Teachers’ Corps would help bridge educational gaps and create a pathway to government employment, while the Medical Corps would strengthen healthcare delivery in underserved areas, addressing critical issues such as maternal and child health.”
