As the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) prepares to celebrate its 53rd anniversary, a former Director-General of the Scheme, Brigadier General Maharazu Ismaila Tsiga (Rtd), has called on the current leadership to sustain its legacy of national unity, integration, and development.
Tsiga made the call while receiving the incumbent Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, during a courtesy visit to his residence in Kaduna. He emphasized the need to maintain the Scheme’s core values, noting that its contributions to nation-building over the decades remain significant.
The former NYSC helmsman commended both staff and Corps Members for their dedication, describing them as the “backbone” and “spine” of the Scheme whose efforts have helped preserve Nigeria’s unity and drive progress across sectors.
He also urged the management to improve the welfare of Corps Members to boost morale and enhance productivity during their service year. Reflecting on his tenure from 2009 to 2011, Tsiga highlighted the introduction of the “War Against Poverty (WAP)” initiative, which provided financial support of N250,000 to Corps Members to establish small-scale businesses and promote self-reliance.
In his remarks, Brigadier General Nafiu praised Tsiga’s achievements in office, noting that his visit was part of a broader initiative to consult past leaders of the Scheme and benefit from their experience and guidance.
Nafiu disclosed that the NYSC is intensifying efforts to expand its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme as a strategy to tackle graduate unemployment. According to him, increased collaboration with partners has enhanced the Scheme’s capacity to provide Corps Members with entrepreneurial training, as well as financial and material support.
He, however, identified the rising number of graduates eligible for national service as a major challenge, attributing it to the growing number of Corps Producing Institutions. To address this, Nafiu revealed that the Federal Government has approved an increase in the number of prospective Corps Members to be mobilised in 2026 to 450,000.
The NYSC continue to play a pivotal role in fostering unity and equipping Nigerian youths with skills for national development more than five decades after its establishment.
