The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced its readiness to embrace reforms aimed at addressing emerging challenges in the country and strengthening its role in national development.
The Director General of the scheme, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made this known on Monday during the opening ceremony of the 2026 NYSC Annual Management Conference held in Jos, Plateau State.
Nafiu noted that the NYSC has grown beyond its early years and must now focus on delivering more practical and measurable contributions to national growth.
According to him, the conversation has shifted from questioning the relevance of the scheme to finding effective ways of deliberately deploying its vast human resources to solve real problems.
“The key issue before us is no longer relevance, but deliberate deployment, how we can systematically harness the energy, skills, and patriotism of our corps members to address present challenges and create sustainable solutions,” he said.
The NYSC boss stressed the need for the scheme to evolve in response to changing demographics, security realities, and technological advancements across the country.
He explained that an internal review of the organisation’s activities over the past year revealed the urgent need for reforms that would strengthen its systems and improve service delivery.
“We must embrace change and continuous growth. Management is fully committed to reforms that will align our operations with current realities and enhance our overall impact,” Nafiu added.
He urged conference participants to critically assess existing operations, share experiences, and propose innovative ideas that would improve the scheme’s performance nationwide.
Nafiu also described the NYSC as one of Nigeria’s greatest reservoirs of human capital, given its large annual intake of young Nigerians from diverse academic and professional backgrounds.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu and Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, for their continued support for the scheme.
Declaring the conference open, Governor Mutfwang praised the NYSC for its enduring contribution to national unity and development. Represented by his deputy, Josephine Piyo, the governor announced the renovation of the NYSC Orientation Camp in Mangu Local Government Area.
He also revealed that additional hectares of land had been allocated to the camp for agricultural activities.
“I have approved the allocation of more land for agricultural purposes. With the progress of work at the camp, I am confident that the 2026 Batch ‘B’ orientation exercise will be conducted there,” Mutfwang said.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, was also commended for his strategic leadership and commitment to the success of the scheme.
The conference, themed “NYSC as a Catalyst for National Development: Tackling Present Challenges and Charting Sustainable Solutions,” is expected to generate practical ideas and policy directions that will further enhance the effectiveness of the NYSC.
Advertisement
