Bukola Afeni
The Management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has said the Scheme is repositioning itself to embrace change, pursue sustainable growth, and move beyond symbolic nation-building to deliver more direct and measurable contributions to national development.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, stated this on Monday at the opening of the 2026 Annual Management Conference (AMC) of the Scheme in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
The conference, themed “NYSC as a Catalyst for National Development: Tackling Present Challenges and Charting Sustainable Solutions,” brought together top management staff of the Scheme from across the country.
Nafiu said an internal review of the Scheme’s activities over the past year highlighted the need for innovation, adaptability, and sustained growth, noting that the NYSC had matured and must now play a more impactful role in national development.
“Our internal review of the past year has clearly shown that we must continue to embrace change and ensure sustainable growth. Having matured, the Scheme is now positioned to move beyond symbolic nation-building towards more direct and measurable contributions to national development,” he said.
The Director-General acknowledged the continued support of the Federal Government toward improving the operations of the NYSC, while reminding managers that Nigerians expected excellence from the Scheme.
He urged them to sustain the confidence of the government, corps members, parents, and other stakeholders in the NYSC’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
Declaring the conference open, Plateau State Governor, Barrister Caleb Muftwang, commended NYSC managers for sustaining the vision of the Scheme’s founding fathers. He noted that since its establishment in 1973, the NYSC had grown to play strategic roles in national unity and development.
Muftwang, who was represented by his Deputy, Mrs. Josephine Piyo, praised the Scheme’s contributions to education, healthcare delivery, rural infrastructure development, sports, and youth empowerment through the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
He urged the NYSC management not to relent in its efforts, stressing the need to provide corps members with relevant and marketable skills.
“I appeal to stakeholders at all levels to join hands with the NYSC in this great march towards sustainable youth empowerment,” he said.
The governor also disclosed that his administration had commenced renovation works at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp in Mangu and released several hectares of land for agricultural purposes to boost the Scheme’s contribution to food sufficiency efforts.
In a goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, commended the NYSC management and staff for their commitment to youth development, noting that the Scheme had continued to record notable achievements. He urged managers to share ideas, adopt innovative approaches, and leverage technology to improve service delivery and impact.
Earlier, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Nura Umar, said the conference would enable NYSC managers to review the Scheme’s activities, assess performance, identify challenges, and jointly develop sustainable solutions to enhance operations.
