NYSC To Get Civilian DG

Many decades after its establishment, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC is being  reorganised by the federal government.  As part of the ongoing reform, the Corps Director General will no longer be a  military officer, the government said on Monday.

The current Director General is Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu who assumed office in March 2025, following his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Over the years, those that have headed the Scheme had majorly been militray officers.

According to Ayodele Olawande, who announced the federal government’s decision on his verified X handle, the NYSC will now be headed by a civilian in line with the government’s ongoing efforts to reposition  the Corps and make it more productive.

He said the reform has been approved by the federal Executive Council, FEC.

Olawande stressed that this is the first time the Scheme has undergone a holistic review after over five decades of its formation. The General Yakubu Gowon military administration established the Scheme in 1973 to foster unity in the country, immediately after the Nigerian Civil War.

Apart from the leadership change, other landmark reforms being considered by the federal government include a technology-driven call-up process; risk-sensitive deployment to better protect corps members; and a redesigned six-week orientation programme with stronger focus on leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career streams.

The current uniforms being worn by the corps members will also be changed, according to the minister  who said the Scheme is being reformed to make it “more relevant and more impactful”.

“I am happy to report that the Federal Executive Council today approved the comprehensive reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), the first holistic review of the Scheme in its 53-year history.

“For over five decades, the NYSC has remained a powerful symbol of national unity and service. Today, we have taken a bold step to preserve that legacy while preparing it for the future.

“We are transforming the Scheme into a platform that not only unites Nigeria but also equips our young people with the skills, experience and opportunities they need to thrive in a fast-changing world,” he stated.