The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to driving youth economic transformation in Africa by strengthening its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme to equip young Nigerians with skills for the evolving global economy.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made this known during an interactive session between the Scheme’s top management and stakeholders at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre in Abuja, where he stressed that the SAED programme would be repositioned to meet emerging economic realities through innovation, entrepreneurship and digital inclusion.
General Nafiu said the SAED programme, introduced in 2012, has empowered thousands of corps members with entrepreneurial knowledge and vocational skills, shifting the focus from job seeking to job creation in line with the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms.
He explained that the government’s proposed reforms align with NYSC’s strategy to transform SAED from a skills acquisition initiative into a platform for entrepreneurship, innovation and digital inclusion.
Speaking on the meeting’s theme, “Transforming SAED: Building a Data-Driven Operating Model for Standardized Delivery, Accountability and Measurable Impact,” Nafiu described it as a strategic step toward repositioning the programme to address the demands of the contemporary global economy.
The NYSC boss urged stakeholders to deepen collaboration in areas such as artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, digital platforms, remote work, green technologies and the creative economy, noting that these sectors are redefining the future of work.
According to him, Nigeria’s youthful population represents a major advantage if adequately equipped with modern skills, entrepreneurial capabilities and digital competence, enabling them to thrive both within and outside the country.
Nafiu said the Scheme envisions transforming SAED into a national platform for youth economic transformation, with a future-focused curriculum that prioritises digital skills, artificial intelligence, financial technology, agribusiness, renewable energy, manufacturing and the creative industries.
He also called for stronger enterprise support through improved access to funding, post-camp mentorship, incubation, market opportunities and business advisory services, citing NYSC’s recent partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University as a model for future collaborations.
The Director-General further urged participants to develop evidence-based resolutions backed by credible data that would clearly demonstrate the number of businesses established, jobs created, incomes generated and lives transformed through the programme.
He also appealed for greater collaboration with industries, financial institutions, technology firms, development partners and educational institutions to sustain the impact and relevance of the SAED initiative.
Earlier, the Acting Director of SAED, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka, said the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to review the programme’s achievements and strengthen existing partnerships for greater impact.
She disclosed that between 2017 and 2023, corps members received a cumulative ₦283 billion in loans and grants to support their businesses through the SAED programme.
Shokpeka commended the Bank of Industry, Access Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Activate Success Foundation, NNPC Foundation, Fidelity Bank, United Capital Assurance and other public and private sector partners for supporting youth entrepreneurship.
She stressed the importance of developing a standardised, data-driven operating model that would improve accountability, transparency and consistency in programme implementation, ensuring that every intervention is measurable, every investment accounted for and every success story supported by credible data.
