Tinubu: NYSC Will Prioritise Indigenes, Residents In Deployment To High-Risk States

President Bola Tinubu has announced that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will prioritise the deployment of indigenes, residents and graduates of institutions located in states classified as high-risk as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms of the scheme.

The announcement follows the approval of seven major reforms by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), aimed at strengthening the efficiency, safety and relevance of the NYSC.

Speaking after the FEC meeting, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed that while the one-year duration of the scheme would remain unchanged, the government had approved key reforms, including the digitalisation of NYSC operations, a transition from military to civilian leadership and the introduction of a redesigned NYSC uniform.

In a statement shared on his X account, President Tinubu said the reforms are intended to make the NYSC safer, smarter and more beneficial for Nigerian graduates. He explained that, unlike in the past, the deployment of corps members to states facing security challenges would now be based on risk assessments.

According to the president, deployments to such states will prioritise indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions within those states and graduates from neighbouring states in the same geopolitical zone.

Tinubu described the reforms as the most significant overhaul of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973. While reaffirming that the scheme’s original objective of promoting national unity remains important, he stressed that it must evolve to meet the country’s present-day realities.

He noted that young Nigerians make up nearly 70 per cent of the country’s population and should not be viewed as a burden but as the driving force behind the administration’s vision of building a one-trillion-dollar economy. According to him, the government is transforming the NYSC from a mobilisation programme into a national development platform focused on skills acquisition, employability, productivity and entrepreneurship.

The president said every corps member should complete the programme better equipped for employment, enterprise and national service.

He also stated that the government is strengthening governance, operational standards and the overall dignity of the NYSC scheme. Under the reforms, the NYSC will be headed by a civilian Director-General, supported by three Executive Directors, one of whom will oversee security matters and will be drawn from the military or other paramilitary services.

Tinubu further revealed that orientation camps will be evaluated under a national grading and certification framework, while state governments will be required to meet prescribed minimum standards. In addition, the traditional Passing-Out Parade will be replaced with a Graduation Ceremony to reflect the broader goal of producing corps members who leave the scheme as trained civic and professional contributors to national development.

The president commended all stakeholders who contributed to the reform process, including the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, the Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, and the Federal Ministry of Education.

He also directed the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Justice to begin the process of amending the NYSC Act and other relevant regulations to give legal backing to the approved reforms.

The new policy also introduces 11 specialised service streams for corps members and a six-week orientation camp designed to provide more structured training and professional development.