The Federal Government has approved 50,000 additional mobilisation slots for the 2026 programme of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) as the number of Nigerian graduates awaiting enlistment into the national service scheme continues to rise.
The Director-General of the scheme, Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed the development on Saturday in Abuja during the inauguration of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters.
The event was part of activities marking the first anniversary of Nafiu’s tenure as the head of the scheme.
According to a statement by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the extra mobilisation slots have already been included in the scheme’s 2026 budget.
Speaking at the event, Nafiu said the scheme plans to mobilise about 450,000 prospective corps members in 2026 while prioritising their safety during deployment.
“This year, we are mobilising about 450,000 prospective Corps members and, as much as possible, we avoid deploying them to red zones,” he said.
“We remain mindful because we owe parents the responsibility of safeguarding the lives of their children.”
He also revealed that additional provisions had been made in the Federal Government’s 2027 budget cycle to improve the welfare of corps members, including upgrading their kits and increasing feeding and transportation allowances.
Nafiu explained that the renovation of the headquarters clinic is part of broader efforts by his administration to improve staff welfare and enhance operational efficiency within the scheme.
He noted that several reforms had been implemented over the past year to strengthen institutional capacity, including the successful conduct of the 2025 staff promotion exercise aimed at boosting career growth and staff morale.
According to him, special allowances were facilitated for staff, retirement benefits were paid to disengaged personnel, and a recruitment exercise was conducted to strengthen the scheme’s workforce.
The NYSC boss also disclosed that the organisation secured the donation of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus to improve mobility for staff and corps members.
He added that the management is working to reposition the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme through strategic partnerships.
As part of this effort, the scheme has partnered with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University to digitise the SAED platform.
Nafiu further stated that the NYSC has strengthened collaboration with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria, among other stakeholders, to deepen support for the programme.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, who commissioned the remodelled clinic, said the upgraded facility would significantly improve staff welfare and productivity.
He assured that the ministry would continue to support the NYSC in delivering greater impact for Nigerian youths.
“We are working to transform and reform the NYSC. We are doing everything possible to secure the future of our Corps members,” the minister said.
Olawande also advised corps members to avoid travelling at night due to security concerns.
“When you are travelling and it is getting late, locate the nearest military barracks, police station or NYSC office and spend the night there,” he advised.