Youth Group Hails NYSC's Nation-Building Role, Calls for Improved Funding Over Restructuring

The Young Leaders Forum of Nigeria (YLFN) has applauded the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for its sustained contributions to nation-building, national integration, and educational development across rural communities, describing the scheme as one of Nigeria's most enduring and impactful national institutions.

The group, however, urged the Federal Government to prioritise improved funding for the NYSC, stressing that adequate financial support—not a fundamental restructuring of the scheme—is essential to enable it to fully achieve its secondary objectives, particularly in skills acquisition, entrepreneurship development, community service, and youth empowerment.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Coordinator, Dr. Marcus Abechi, the forum said the NYSC has remained faithful to its founding vision by fostering national unity, promoting peaceful coexistence, and exposing Nigerian graduates to the country's rich cultural diversity.

According to the group, beyond its primary mandate of strengthening national integration, the scheme has continued to play a vital role in advancing education, especially in underserved rural communities where thousands of corps members have filled critical manpower gaps in public schools over the years.

The statement noted that countless communities across the country have benefited from the deployment of corps members as teachers, healthcare workers, agricultural extension officers, legal aid providers, and development advocates, thereby complementing government efforts to deliver essential social services.

> "The NYSC remains one of the most successful nation-building programmes ever established in Nigeria. For over five decades, it has continued to unite young Nigerians across ethnic, religious, and regional divides while making invaluable contributions to education, healthcare, agriculture, and community development.

 "In many rural communities, corps members have sustained academic activities in public schools where teachers are insufficient, thereby improving access to quality education and inspiring thousands of young Nigerians. These contributions should be strengthened, not undermined," the statement said.

The YLFN further stated that while the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme has emerged as one of the scheme's major success stories, there is no justification for reforms that would transform the NYSC into a conventional skills acquisition centre.

It observed that the SAED programme, managed by the NYSC's Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Department, is already delivering positive results by equipping corps members with vocational, entrepreneurial, and business management skills that promote self-reliance after service.

>"The SAED initiative is not only functional but has continued to empower corps members with practical skills across various sectors of the economy. The challenge confronting the programme is not its structure or design but the level of funding available for its expansion and sustainability.

 "What the NYSC requires today is improved funding that will enable the scheme to deepen its skills acquisition programmes, strengthen empowerment initiatives, expand post-training support for corps members, improve welfare, and enhance community development projects," the statement added.

The forum warned that altering the core mandate of the NYSC could weaken its historic role as Nigeria's foremost platform for national integration and social cohesion, stressing that the country still needs an institution that encourages young graduates to live and serve outside their states of origin in the interest of national unity.

It therefore urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, and other stakeholders to channel greater resources toward strengthening the existing structure of the NYSC rather than pursuing reforms that could divert the scheme from its original aims and objectives.

"The NYSC has continued to justify its existence through its immense contributions to national unity and grassroots development. Rather than changing its identity, government should provide the financial support necessary for the scheme to consolidate its achievements and effectively deliver on both its primary and secondary mandates.

 "A well-funded NYSC will be better positioned to produce more empowered youths, stronger communities, and a more united Nigeria," the forum concluded.