A youth advocacy group has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to suspend aspects of the proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), warning that stripping the scheme of its traditional structure could weaken one of Nigeria’s most enduring instruments for national unity, discipline and emergency service.
The appeal was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Coalition for National Unity and Youth Development and signed by its president, Abdulrahman Sani, and secretary, Grace Nwafor.
While acknowledging the federal government’s intention to modernise the scheme, the group argued that the reforms should not alter the identity of an institution that has served the country for over five decades.
It urged the president to set up an expanded committee comprising former NYSC directors-general, security experts, university administrators, employers, labour unions, youth organisations and civil society groups to thoroughly review the proposals before they are transmitted 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 argued that the NYSC was established primarily as a nation-building institution, insisting that its role should not be overshadowed by vocational training objectives.
“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 group said the military component of the orientation camp remains one of the scheme’s strongest features, stressing that discipline, patriotism, teamwork and resilience cannot be taught effectively in classrooms alone.
“Across the world, countries such as Singapore, South Korea, Israel and Switzerland continue to expose their young citizens to structured national or military service because they understand that national development depends not only on knowledge but also on discipline, sacrifice and civic responsibility. Nigeria should strengthen that tradition rather than weaken it.”
The coalition also recalled the role corps members played during national emergencies, saying their contributions demonstrated the strategic importance of the scheme.
“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.”
The coalition dismissed suggestions that the reforms were introducing digital innovation into the scheme, noting that mobilisation, deployment, documentation and records management have already been substantially automated.
“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 advocacy group expressed concern that public attention had shifted from substantive reforms to debates over uniforms, saying the controversy reflected poor consultation.
“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.”
The coalition urged the national assembly to subject any amendment to the NYSC Act to extensive public hearings, insisting that reforms affecting generations of Nigerian youths should reflect the views of those who have built, managed and benefited from the scheme over the decades.
