The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has dismissed suggestions to extend the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme to two years, insisting that what Nigeria needs is a more impactful and productive one-year service.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja on Monday after the 2025 Annual Management Conference of the NYSC, Olawande emphasized the importance of equipping corps members with practical skills that would empower them to create jobs and improve their lives.
This response came after the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, advocated for a two-year NYSC duration during a courtesy visit by NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu on Friday. Alausa had suggested the extension would allow for a more robust skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme.
However, Olawande argued that lengthening the service period is not the solution. “What we need is not more time, but more value. Let’s focus on building a system that trains and certifies corps members in skills that will serve them after the service year,” he said.
He proposed the creation of a National Internship Scheme, which would provide corps members with meaningful industry experience, making them job-ready or capable of starting their own ventures after service.
“Right now, many just go through the motions of service without gaining any real value. If we train and certify them in relevant skills, the one-year service would become more fulfilling than just marching during camp drills,” he added.
The youth minister stressed the need for reform within the NYSC scheme to meet contemporary realities, stating that repeating the same system without innovation will not yield better outcomes.
Meanwhile, NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Nafiu noted that the Annual Management Conference is a platform for reviewing the scheme’s past activities and strategizing for improved performance. This year’s theme, “Transforming the NYSC Scheme to Meet the Yearnings of Contemporary Nigerian Graduates and Society,” reflects growing demands for change in how the scheme operates.
Nafiu said the NYSC remains committed to playing a central role in national development by realigning its goals with the current needs of Nigerian youth and the wider society.
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