The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), marking the first major review of the scheme since its establishment 53 years ago.
As part of the reforms, the Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations to reflect all the approved measures, paving the way for the immediate implementation of the new framework.
A key aspect of the reform is the restructuring of the scheme’s leadership, with the operational leadership of the NYSC to be headed by a civilian, while the military will continue to provide security for corps members across the country.
The reform is aimed at repositioning the NYSC as a skill-oriented, productivity-driven and youth-empowering institution that will contribute more directly to the Federal Government’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
The approval represents the first holistic review of the NYSC since the scheme was established in 1973.
The National Youth Service Corps was created by Decree No. 24 of May 22, 1973, in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War to promote national reconciliation, reconstruction and unity.
According to the founding decree, the scheme was established “with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity.”
