President Bola Tinubu has explained why his administration approved recent National Youth Service Corps reforms, saying the changes are aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical skills and preparing them for national development.
The president also said the reforms, approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, were part of his administration’s promise to create meaningful opportunities for young people.
He stated this in a statement posted on his X handle on Wednesday.
“On Monday, at the Federal Executive Council, our administration approved the most consequential reforms of the National Youth Service Corps Scheme since its establishment in 1973.
“On the day I was sworn in as your president, I promised to create meaningful opportunities for our young people. I said women and youth would feature prominently in our administration, and this reform is partly the actualization of that promise,” Tinubu said.
He said although the NYSC had served the cause of national unity for more than five decades, the country’s changing realities required a new approach.
“For 53 years, the NYSC has served the cause of national unity. That mission remains important and must be preserved.
“But the Nigeria of today demands more.
“Our young people are nearly 70 percent of our population. They are not a burden to be managed… They are the engine,” he said.
The president said the orientation program would now run for six weeks and focus on civic responsibility, leadership, values, career readiness, entrepreneurship, and digital and financial literacy, as well as specialized training based on participants’ academic backgrounds and career aspirations.
According to him, corps members will be trained in areas including agriculture, health, education, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, enterprise, the creative economy, and paramilitary and security services.
“Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise, and national service,” he said.
Tinubu also said the reforms would make the scheme safer by introducing risk-based deployment, particularly for security-challenged states.
He explained that deployment would prioritize indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions in affected states, and those from neighboring states within the same geopolitical zones.
