The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the National Youth Service Corps' iconic khaki uniform with Adire attire as part of a comprehensive reform of the scheme aimed at promoting indigenous industries and improving service delivery.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the proposal on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television's The Morning Brief, saying the initiative would boost local textile production and ensure government patronage benefits Nigerian manufacturers.
According to him, Adire is produced in several parts of the country, including Ogun and Kwara states, making it a suitable alternative that aligns with the government's drive to support homegrown businesses.
Olawande also said the ongoing restructuring would introduce a more specialised deployment system, with corps members posted according to their academic qualifications and professional skills.
He explained that graduates would no longer be assigned arbitrarily but would be deployed to organisations where their training and expertise are most relevant.
The minister added that the information obtained from corps members during the orientation exercise would form part of the process for determining their places of primary assignment.
On security, Olawande said the government was considering posting corps members to areas where they had studied or were already familiar with, particularly in regions facing security challenges.
He said the measure would help reduce concerns among parents and prospective corps members while making the deployment process more efficient.
According to the minister, those willing to serve outside their familiar environments would still be given the opportunity to do so, but the revised arrangement would minimise avoidable redeployments.
Olawande also dismissed reports that the military would be excluded from the NYSC under the new reforms.
He clarified that although the operational leadership of the scheme would be headed by a civilian, the armed forces would continue to provide security and other support services to the programme.
The minister said the reforms followed the approval of a comprehensive review of the NYSC by the Federal Executive Council, describing it as the first major overhaul of the scheme in more than five decades.
He added that the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development had been directed to amend the NYSC Act and relevant regulations to pave the way for the implementation of the reforms.
According to the Federal Government, the changes are intended to transform the NYSC into a skills-focused and productivity-driven programme that will contribute more effectively to youth empowerment and national economic development.
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