The Federal Government has announced that the deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members will now be guided by security risk assessments, a major policy shift aimed at enhancing the safety of corps members across the country.
President Bola Tinubu disclosed the decision on Wednesday following the approval of seven far-reaching reforms to the NYSC scheme by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
Under the new arrangement, corps members will no longer be posted to states facing serious security threats without a careful assessment of prevailing conditions. Instead, deployments to such areas will prioritize indigenes, residents, graduates of institutions located in those states, and candidates from neighbouring states within the same geopolitical zone.
According to the President, the reform is designed to protect corps members while preserving the NYSC’s core objective of fostering national unity and integration.
The move comes against the backdrop of growing concerns over the safety of corps members deployed to regions affected by banditry, insurgency, kidnapping and other forms of violence.
Tinubu described the package as the most comprehensive reform of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973, noting that the changes are intended to modernize the scheme and align it with contemporary national realities.
As part of the reforms, the Federal Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Justice have been directed to commence the process of amending the NYSC Act and related regulations to provide the necessary legal framework for implementation.
The council also approved a restructuring of the scheme’s leadership, with the NYSC to be headed by a civilian Director-General, replacing the long-standing military leadership model. The DG will be supported by three Executive Directors, including a representative from the military or a paramilitary agency responsible for security matters.
Other approved reforms include the extension of the orientation camp programme from three weeks to six weeks, the creation of 11 specialised service streams for corps members, and the introduction of a national grading and certification system for orientation camps.
In another significant change, the traditional Passing-Out Parade will be replaced by a Graduation Ceremony, reflecting what the government says is a renewed focus on skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and employability.
Established in 1973 in the aftermath of the Nigerian civil war, the NYSC has long been regarded as a key instrument for promoting national cohesion through inter-state deployment of graduates. However, rising insecurity in parts of the country has intensified calls for reforms to ensure the safety of participants while maintaining the scheme’s nation-building mandate.
The implementation of several aspects of the reform package will depend on the successful amendment of the NYSC Act by the National Assembly.