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The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the iconic khaki uniform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with Adire, a locally produced fabric, as part of a wider reform package designed to revamp the 53-year-old national service scheme.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, revealed the proposed changes during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, explaining that the initiative is intended to strengthen Nigeria’s textile industry by ensuring government spending benefits local manufacturers.
“That’s Adire. So, Adire is produced in Nigeria. We have it in Ogun, we have it in Kwara, we have the textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” he said.
Beyond the planned uniform changes, Olawande revealed that the restructured NYSC will adopt a more professional placement system that aligns the placement of corps members with their academic qualifications and career background.
According to the minister, graduates trained in education and other specialized disciplines will be assigned to institutions and organizations where their expertise can be utilized effectively, rather than being placed haphazardly.
“Once you leave the camp, you are not just placed in a school just because NYSC wants you to go to school but because of the process you followed while you were in the camp. So, this will provide a framework for where you will be placed,” he said.
The minister also outlined new measures aimed at improving the safety of corps members, saying that the government is considering sending participants to areas where they study or have a better understanding of the local environment, especially in parts of the country experiencing security problems.
He explained that this approach would reduce the anxiety often expressed by parents and prospective corps members while making the placement process more efficient.
Also read: Federal Government says it wants to replace NYSC khaki uniform
“If you have an interest and want to go to the North East why not, but if you don’t have an interest, instead of hiring you back, paying people to camp, doing funny things, we said no, let’s look and name anyone who is in that region, who can live in that geographic area and still give us the numbers we’re looking for because we said NYSC should have more impact. So, that’s what we’re talking about,” he said.
Olawande further dismissed speculation that the ongoing reforms would remove the military from the NYSC structure, and described the report as a misunderstanding of the government’s intentions.
The changes come after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved a major overhaul of the NYSC on Monday, marking the most significant restructuring of the scheme since it was founded in 1973.
As part of the agreement, the council directed the Attorney General of the Federation, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, to amend the NYSC Act and other related regulations to provide legal backing to the reform.
Under this new framework, the day-to-day operational leadership of the NYSC will be led by civilians, while the military will continue to play its traditional role by providing security support to corps members across the country.
