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| NYSC female corps |
A youth advocacy group, the Coalition for National Unity and Youth Development, has called on President Bola Tinubu to suspend key aspects of the proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), warning that changes to the scheme’s long-standing structure could undermine its core mandate of fostering national unity, discipline and emergency response.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the coalition, through its President, Abdulrahman Sani, and Secretary, Grace Nwafor, acknowledged the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise the NYSC but cautioned against reforms that could fundamentally alter the identity of the 52-year-old institution.
The group urged the President to establish an expanded review committee comprising former NYSC directors-general, security experts, university administrators, employers, labour unions, youth organisations and civil society groups before any reform proposals are forwarded to the National Assembly.
“We respectfully appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to allow a historic national institution to be fundamentally altered without exhaustive consultation.
“Mr President has consistently demonstrated that he listens to Nigerians, and we sincerely beg him to pause this process and allow broader stakeholder engagement before any irreversible decision is taken,” the statement said.
The coalition stressed that the NYSC was created primarily as a nation-building initiative and warned against allowing vocational and skills acquisition programmes to overshadow its original purpose.
According to the group, the scheme’s greatest achievement has been bringing together young Nigerians from different ethnic, religious and regional backgrounds, thereby promoting national cohesion.
“It would be unfortunate if the NYSC gradually loses its identity and becomes known merely as another government skills acquisition programme.
“Skills are important, but they are not the reason the scheme was created. Its greatest achievement has been bringing young Nigerians together across ethnic, religious and regional divides at a time when our country desperately needed healing,” the statement added.
The coalition maintained that vocational training could be expanded without changing the philosophy or operational structure of the scheme.
It also defended the military-style orientation programme, describing it as one of the NYSC’s defining strengths. According to the group, values such as discipline, patriotism, teamwork and resilience are best cultivated through structured physical and leadership training rather than classroom instruction alone.
Drawing comparisons with countries including Singapore, South Korea, Israel and Switzerland, the coalition argued that national or military service remains an important tool for instilling civic responsibility among young people.
“Nigeria should strengthen that tradition rather than weaken it,” the statement said.
The group further highlighted the contributions of corps members during national emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, elections and humanitarian interventions, insisting that the NYSC should be regarded as a strategic national emergency asset.
“When COVID-19 placed enormous pressure on our healthcare system, it was not only permanent government workers who answered the call.
“Hundreds of NYSC doctors, nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists stood on the frontlines in isolation centres and public hospitals across the country.
“During elections, disease outbreaks and humanitarian emergencies, corps members have repeatedly proven that the NYSC is a national emergency asset, not just a youth programme,” it stated.
The coalition also dismissed claims that the proposed reforms would significantly improve digital innovation within the scheme, noting that mobilisation, deployment, documentation and records management have already been largely automated.
It argued that inadequate funding, deteriorating infrastructure and poor welfare for corps members remain the most pressing challenges facing the NYSC.
“It is difficult to present digitalisation as a new reform when the NYSC has, for years, operated one of the most advanced digital administrative systems in the public service.
“The bigger challenge is funding. Give the scheme adequate resources, modern facilities and stronger welfare, and it will continue to deliver even greater value to Nigeria,” the statement said.
The coalition also expressed concern that public discourse on the proposed reforms had shifted to debates over uniforms and the possible introduction of Adire fabric, saying the controversy underscored the need for broader stakeholder engagement.
“It is telling that what was introduced as a comprehensive reform quickly became a national conversation about Adire and uniforms.
“That should convince everyone that the proposals require deeper engagement before legislation begins,” it added.
The group urged the National Assembly to ensure extensive public hearings are conducted before any amendment to the NYSC Act is considered.