The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the National Youth Service Corps’ traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire fabric as part of a broad reform of the scheme aimed at promoting local industries and improving corps members’ deployment.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday.
According to him, the decision is intended to encourage local production while ensuring government spending benefits Nigerian businesses.
“The new uniform will be Adire because it is made in Nigeria. We have producers in Ogun, Kwara and other parts of the country with textile industries. We want government spending to support local manufacturers and strengthen our economy,” Olawande said.
The minister also revealed that under the proposed reforms, corps members would increasingly be posted based on their academic qualifications and professional training.
He explained that graduates of education, for example, would be deployed to schools through a structured process initiated during the orientation camp rather than through random postings.
“The process begins in camp. By the time you leave, your posting will reflect the pathway you followed during orientation, making deployments more relevant to your qualifications,” he said.
On security, Olawande said the government was considering posting corps members to regions where they studied or were already familiar with the environment, especially in areas facing security concerns.
He noted that the arrangement would reduce the need for redeployments while addressing the concerns of parents and prospective corps members.
“If someone is willing to serve in the North-East, that is fine. But where there is no interest, it is more practical to deploy those who already know the area instead of posting people there only to process redeployments later. This will make the scheme more impactful,” he stated.
The minister also dismissed reports suggesting the military would be removed from the NYSC, describing such claims as inaccurate.
“The military is not leaving the NYSC. The reforms simply provide that the operational leadership of the scheme will be civilian-led, while the military will continue to provide security support for corps members across the country,” Olawande clarified.
The reforms follow the Federal Executive Council’s approval of a comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC earlier this week, marking the first major review of the scheme since its establishment in 1973.
As part of the reforms, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to accommodate the proposed changes.
The revised framework provides for civilian leadership of the scheme while retaining military support for security operations nationwide.
