Gladness Gideon
In a bold move to enhance youth empowerment and reduce unemployment, the Federal Government is proposing the extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme from one year to two years.
The proposed reform aims to deepen practical training through an expanded Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
The development was unveiled during a strategic meeting in Abuja between the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Akinyemi Nafiu, and the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
According to a statement signed by Caroline Embu, Acting Director of Information and Public Relations for the NYSC, the proposed extension will better prepare corps members for job creation, entrepreneurial ventures, and national development.
“You have done so well as an organization. Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country,” Dr. Alausa stated, commending the NYSC’s efforts at modernizing its operations.
The Minister praised the Corps for its ongoing digital transformation, particularly in streamlining the mobilisation process, which he said has significantly curbed certificate fraud among foreign-trained graduates within the West African region.
Also highlighted was the scheme’s resolution of a longstanding policy gap that previously excluded part-time OND graduates, who later pursued full-time Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes, from national service.
Dr. Alausa disclosed that the Ministry is working to digitize the verification of foreign-trained Nigerian graduates to strengthen academic integrity and administrative efficiency.
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A key element of the proposal is the deployment of more graduate teachers to underserved rural communities.
“This would fill the manpower gap in the schools,” Alausa noted, calling it a vital intervention for educational equity and national development.
Brigadier General Nafiu reiterated the NYSC’s readiness to align with federal reforms and adjust the scheme to reflect contemporary national priorities.
“NYSC is ready to comply with policy guidelines as directed by the Federal Government. We are also trying to reform the Scheme to conform with the present national needs,” he affirmed.
He also proposed the creation of a centralized database for Nigerian students studying abroad, noting that such a system would help eliminate fraudulent credentials and improve government planning.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to closer synergy with the NYSC, pledging, “We are ready to work with NYSC more effectively towards uplifting the standard of education in the country.”
If approved, the extension of the NYSC tenure could mark one of the most transformative reforms in the scheme’s history, shifting its focus from short-term civic service to a more robust platform for capacity building, entrepreneurship, and sustainable national development.