RismadarVoice Reporters, July 2, 2026
President Bola Tinubu has announced that the deployment of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to states across the country will now be guided by security risk assessments as part of sweeping reforms of the scheme.
The President also disclosed that the NYSC will henceforth be headed by a civilian Director-General, replacing the previous practice of appointing military officers to lead the organisation.
Tinubu announced in a post on his official X account while outlining the reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) earlier this week.
According to him, the changes are designed to transform the 53-year-old scheme into a platform for skills development, entrepreneurship and national productivity.
“Corps members will now be deployed based on risk assessment to ensure their safety while preserving the scheme’s objective of national integration,” the President stated.
He also confirmed that the NYSC orientation programme has been extended from three weeks to six weeks.
The revised orientation course, he explained, will focus on civic responsibility, leadership, personal development, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, financial education and career readiness.
Tinubu said participants would also receive specialised training tailored to their academic qualifications and career aspirations.
The specialised streams, he noted, will cover agriculture, healthcare, education, technology, law, public service, infrastructure, the green economy, entrepreneurship, the creative industry and para-military/security services.
The President said the reforms represent the most significant overhaul of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.
“On the day I was sworn in as President, I promised to create meaningful opportunities for our young people. This reform is part of fulfilling that promise,” Tinubu said.
He stressed that while the NYSC’s role in promoting national unity remains important, the programme must evolve to meet the changing needs of the country.
“For 53 years, the NYSC has served the cause of national unity. That mission remains important and must be preserved. But the Nigeria of today demands more,” he said.
Tinubu added that the reforms are aimed at repositioning the scheme from a mobilisation programme into a national development platform that equips young Nigerians with practical skills, enhances employability and supports the country’s ambition of building a $1 trillion economy.
The reform package was unveiled after Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting, where the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, and the President’s Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination, Hadiza Bala Usman, briefed journalists on the approved changes.
