The N/Assembly must get the NYSC reform right

First half of the article

THE National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was established by Decree No. 24 of 1973 in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War as an instrument of national reconciliation and integration. Today, the Scheme derives its legal authority from the National Youth Service Corps Act (Cap. N84, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004), a statute preserved under Section 315 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended). Consequently, any fundamental restructuring of the Scheme requires legislative amendment by the National Assembly, not merely executive approval. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has recently approved what it describes as the most comprehensive reform of the NYSC since its creation. The Attorney-General of the Federation has been directed to prepare an Executive Bill for transmission to the National Assembly. Before any amendment becomes law, however, the National Assembly must exercise its constitutional responsibility by subjecting every proposal to rigorous legislative scrutiny and broad public consultation.

This should not become another government bill rushed through the legislature. The NYSC belongs to the Nigerian people. It has shaped generations of graduates and remains one of Nigeria’s most enduring national institutions. Any attempt to redefine its purpose deserves comprehensive public hearings involving the Armed Forces, security agencies, universities, employers, civil society, youth organisations, political parties, traditional institutions and former corps members. The proposed reforms include extending the orientation camp from three weeks to six weeks, introducing specialised career streams based on graduates ’disciplines, transitioning the operational leadership of the Scheme from military to civilian administration, expanding entrepreneurship and digital skills training, digitising mobilisation and deployment, strengthening corps members’ welfare and camp infrastructure, and redesigning aspects of the orientation programme and Scheme administration.

Some of these reforms deserve commendation. Modernising the call-up process, improving welfare, upgrading camp facilities and enhancing security-sensitive deployment are sensible administrative improvements. Others, however, warrant much deeper reflection.

NYSC should build national resilience

The first is the proposed shift away from the military character of the orientation camp. Nigeria today faces terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, piracy, communal violence and some of the gravest security challenges of the Fourth Republic. At a time when national resilience should be strengthened, the government proposes to reduce the one institution that exposes virtually every graduate to structured discipline, endurance and national service. This appears to misunderstand the scheme’s comparative institutional advantage. The NYSC’s greatest contribution lies not in graduate employability alone, but in strengthening Nigeria’s long-term state capacity.

The objective should never have been to convert graduates into professional soldiers. Rather, the scheme should cultivate physically resilient, disciplined and security-conscious citizens capable of responding to emergencies and contributing to national stability.

The orientation camp should therefore deepen—not diminish—training in physical endurance, survival skills, self-defence, emergency response, disaster management, first aid, leadership under pressure, civic responsibility and national preparedness. Those who demonstrate exceptional aptitude should have clear, voluntary pathways into the Armed Forces, the Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), emergency management agencies, intelligence services and other public safety institutions. Recent floods, kidnappings and other emergencies have demonstrated the importance of citizens equipped with basic emergency response and disaster management skills. The NYSC should become one of Nigeria’s principal talent pipelines for strengthening the institutions that underpin the nation’s state capacity.

Around the world, national service programmes reflect each country’s strategic priorities. Israel and South Korea maintain compulsory military service because of security threats. Singapore integrates National Service across the Armed Forces, Police Force and Civil Defence Force, while Switzerland maintains a militia system that provides a trained reserve. Nigeria need not replicate these models. They nevertheless demonstrate an enduring principle: national service should strengthen the institutions a nation needs most. In Nigeria’s case, that means building resilience, leadership and state capacity alongside national unity.

NYSC should complement universities—not duplicate them

The second proposal requiring reconsideration is the introduction of specialised career streams. Graduate engineers, doctors, lawyers and agriculturists have already spent years in higher education acquiring professional expertise. Recreating another layer of specialisation during national service…

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