…to mobilise 418,000 corps members in 2026
The Federal Government has approved an additional 50,000 mobilisation slots for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in response to the growing number of graduates awaiting national service across the country.
The Director-General of the scheme, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this while addressing journalists during the commissioning of the remodelled NYSC Clinic at the scheme’s headquarters in Abuja yesterday.
The event was organised to commemorate the Director-General’s one year in office.
Speaking, Nafiu expressed appreciation to Nigerians and the Federal Government for their continued support for the NYSC scheme, noting that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had shown responsiveness to concerns raised by citizens, particularly the issue of delays in mobilisation.
“First of all, I would like to thank Nigerians for their support and their renewed interest in the scheme. I also appreciate the government, Mr President and his administration for the support we have continued to receive.
“I have always said that government is responsive. Government listens and acts when people raise issues that affect them,” he said.
According to him, the additional mobilisation slots were approved in the 2026 national budget following agitations by graduates who had waited long periods before being mobilised.
“In response to the agitation over long waits for mobilisation, Mr President graciously approved an additional 50,000 mobilisation slots in the 2026 budget,” Nafiu stated.
He explained that the NYSC scheme has expanded significantly since its establishment in 1973, with a sharp increase in the number of tertiary institutions producing graduates annually.
“We started with fewer than 10 to 12 co-producing institutions in 1972 and were able to mobilise only 2,364 graduates. Today, we have over 400 co-producing institutions producing around 600,000 graduates every year,” he added.
The Director-General, however, clarified that not all graduates are required to participate in the scheme each year, as some are granted exemptions due to age or professional training requirements.
He added that the NYSC plans to mobilise about 418,000 corps members this year following the approval of the additional slots.
Nafiu also attributed delays experienced by some graduates to issues with institutions failing to upload Senate-approved results promptly on the NYSC portal, as well as actions taken by some graduates after deployment.
“Many times, co-producing institutions do not upload their Senate-approved lists on our platform in good time. In some cases, graduates are mobilised and posted to certain states but choose not to report to camp because they are not satisfied with their posting,” he said.
On security concerns, Nafiu assured that the scheme remains mindful of the safety of corps members and avoids deploying them to volatile areas across the country.
“As much as possible, we do not deploy corps members to red zones. That is why you will notice that we have scaled down considerably on the number of corps members sent to certain states. Even when they are deployed there, they are restricted to state capitals and major cities,” he said.
Also speaking, the Minister for Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, commended the Director-General for what he described as a year of impactful leadership and reforms within the scheme.
According to him, the first year of Nafiu’s administration had witnessed several initiatives aimed at improving the welfare of staff and corps members.
“Today is special because, for the first time in the history of this country, we are marking the first year in office of a hardworking Director-General with several achievements and focused initiatives. Many people even call him the Gen Z Director-General because of his style of leadership and accessibility,” Olawande said.
Olawande also addressed concerns raised by Nigerians following a viral video alleging the torture of corps members in the northern part of the country, stressing that the government was taking steps to strengthen the safety and welfare of corps members.
“There have been calls in some quarters for the NYSC to be scrapped because of security concerns, but we must also look at the good the scheme has brought to the country. We are not yet where we want to be, but we are working towards improving things,” he said.
He advised corps members to take personal safety seriously by avoiding night travel and risky movements.
