(NYSC. Photo by PM News)
The Federal Government has confirmed that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will replace its iconic khaki uniform with Adire fabric, as part of sweeping reforms recently approved for the 53-year-old scheme.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on a national television programme, saying the move is aimed at promoting local production and ensuring government spending supports the Nigerian economy.
This follows the Federal Executive Council’s approval on Monday of a comprehensive reform of the NYSC, the first of its kind since the scheme was established in 1973.
Responding to questions on whether the new uniforms would be produced locally, Olawande said the Adire fabric would be sourced from Nigerian textile producers, noting that Adire is already being produced in states such as Ogun and Kwara, which have textile industries, adding that the goal is to put the country’s money back into the economy.
The minister also announced that corps members would, under the new reforms, increasingly be posted according to their academic qualifications and career paths, rather than through the existing general deployment system.
He explained that graduates trained as teachers, for instance, would be posted to schools after undergoing relevant training during the orientation camp, stressing that posting decisions would now be tied to the training process followed in camp rather than arbitrary assignment.
On security, the minister said the government is reviewing the deployment policy to allow more corps members to serve in areas where they studied or are familiar, particularly in states facing security challenges.
According to him, the arrangement would reduce the need for redeployment while addressing concerns raised by parents and prospective corps members.
He explained that in areas experiencing insecurity, rather than forcing people to serve there against their wishes, the scheme would instead consider deploying corps members who are already familiar with or schooled in such areas, rather than posting someone entirely unfamiliar with the region.
He added that corps members who express interest in serving in such areas would be accommodated, but for those without such interest, the scheme would rather identify suitable candidates already resident in or connected to those areas than resort to costly redeployment processes, in line with the goal of making the scheme more impactful.
He also dismissed reports suggesting the military would be removed from the NYSC scheme, describing such claims as a misconception.
Olawande clarified that although the scheme’s operational leadership would now be headed by a civilian, the military would continue to play its traditional role in ensuring the security of corps members, stressing that the military is not being taken away, but that the scheme is simply transitioning from military-led mobilisation to civilian-led mobilisation.
Under the new framework, the orientation course has been expanded to six weeks, with greater emphasis on entrepreneurship, vocational skills, civic responsibility and employability.
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu said the reforms are aimed at equipping young Nigerians with practical skills and preparing them for national development.
