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President Bola Tinubu has explained why his administration approved sweeping reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme, describing the changes as necessary to equip young Nigerians with skills for national development.
The President, in a statement shared via his X account on Wednesday, said the reforms, approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, represent the most significant changes to the NYSC scheme since its establishment in 1973.
According to Tinubu, the reforms are part of his administration’s commitment to expanding opportunities for Nigerian youths.
“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,” Tinubu said.
“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 actualisation of that promise,” he added.
Tinubu noted that while the NYSC had played a role in promoting national unity for more than five decades, the scheme needed to be adapted to current realities.
“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,” Tinubu said.
“Our young people are nearly 70 per cent of our population. They are not a burden to be managed… They are the engine of the one-trillion-dollar economy we are building and the hope of this nation,” he stated.
Under the new reform plan, the NYSC orientation programme will now run for six weeks, divided into three phases.
The first phase will focus on civic responsibility, leadership, values and personal development. The second phase will cover career readiness, entrepreneurship, digital and financial literacy. The third phase will provide specialised training aligned with each corps member’s academic background and career pathway.
Tinubu said the specialised streams would cover agriculture, education, health, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, enterprise, the creative industry, and para-military and security services.
“Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise and national service,” he said.
The President also announced new measures aimed at improving the safety of corps members, saying deployment to security-challenged states would be based on risk assessments and prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions in those states and neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zone.
“The call-up process will become technology-driven and primary assignments will be better aligned with each corps member’s skills, academic background and career stream,” Tinubu said.
He also disclosed that the NYSC would now be headed by a civilian Director-General, supported by three Executive Directors, including one from the military or paramilitary services responsible for security.
“The Passing-Out Parade will become a Graduation Ceremony because our corps members will no longer merely complete service. They will graduate as trained civic and professional contributors to national development,” Tinubu said.
Tinubu said he had directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Federal Ministry of Justice to begin the process of amending the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to give legal backing to the reforms.
Addressing young Nigerians, the president said, “This nation believes in you. We are building a country worthy of your talent, your ambition and your future.”
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… pic.twitter.com/zZ34ByKhOD
— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) July 1, 2026
