By Zainab Bakare
The Federal Government has announced sweeping reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), including plans to replace the traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire fabric and introduce a deployment system that aligns corps members with their academic qualifications.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the plans during a televised interview, describing the reforms as part of efforts to reposition the NYSC while promoting local industries and improving the relevance of the one-year national service scheme.
According to the minister, the proposed Adire uniform is designed to support Nigeria’s textile industry by ensuring government spending benefits local manufacturers.
“It’s Adire. Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have the textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.
He also revealed that corps members will now be deployed based on their courses of study and professional qualifications rather than through the existing random posting system.
Under the new framework, graduates of education, for instance, will be posted to schools, while other professionals will be assigned to organisations where their skills are most relevant.
“After you are leaving the camp, you are not just posted to a school just because NYSC wants you to be in school, but because of the process you followed when in camp. That is going to give a framework of where you are going to be posted to,” he explained.
On security, the minister said the government is considering allowing corps members to serve in regions they are familiar with, particularly in areas facing security challenges.
He noted that the measure would reduce anxiety among prospective corps members and their families while making deployment more practical.
“If you have interest that you want to go to the North-East, why not? But if you don’t have interest, let us look at it and say who are those in that area that can reside in those geographical areas,” he said.
Olawande also dismissed reports that the military would be removed from the NYSC structure, describing the claims as misleading.
He clarified that although the reformed scheme will be headed by a civilian, the military will continue to play a vital role in providing security and support for corps members nationwide.
The reforms follow the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC, marking what the government describes as the most significant restructuring of the scheme since its establishment in 1973.
