Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, a Brigadier General and Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), on Monday declared that the Scheme must embrace reforms and strategic deployment of youth capacity to drive national development, as the 2026 NYSC Annual Management Conference opened in Jos, Plateau State.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nafiu said the annual conference remains one of the most critical policy forums of the Scheme, providing an opportunity for management to review past activities, assess performance, and chart forward-looking strategies for improved service delivery and organisational effectiveness.
He explained that the theme, “NYSC as a Catalyst for National Development: Tackling Present Challenges and Charting Sustainable Solutions,” was deliberately chosen to reflect current national realities, noting that the Scheme has matured beyond symbolic nation-building to making measurable contributions to development.
Read also: Don’t wait for white-collar jobs – NYSC advises corps members
According to the Director-General, NYSC’s numerical strength and diversity place it in a unique position to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s socio-economic progress, stressing that the key challenge now is “deliberate deployment” of corps members’ skills, patriotism and energy to address national needs.
Nafiu said, “The NYSC represents a unique pool of human capital within Nigeria, and the question before us is no longer about relevance, but how this collective energy can be systematically harnessed for sustainable solutions”.
He added that management remains committed to reforms anchored on the Scheme’s vision “to develop a dynamic organisation capable of meeting new challenges and becoming the leading light of youth organisations in Africa”.
Also speaking, Ayodele Olawande, Minister of Youth Development, urged corps members to prioritise skills acquisition as a pathway to self-reliance and economic stability, noting that white-collar jobs alone can no longer meet the aspirations of young Nigerians.
Olawande said, “I urge corps members to avail themselves of skills acquisition opportunities that will provide alternative sources of income and ensure a better living during and after national service”.
Caleb Mutfwang, Plateau State Governor, represented by his deputy Josephine Piyo, reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to youth development and skill empowerment, calling on NYSC management to deepen efforts at preparing corps members for entrepreneurship and job creation.
Mutfwang said, “I urge the NYSC not to rest on its oars, as much still needs to be done in providing relevant skills that will ensure corps members transition seamlessly into business managers and employers of labour”.
The governor also announced the renovation of the NYSC orientation camp in Mangu Local Government Area and the allocation of additional land for agricultural activities, assuring participants that the 2026 Batch ‘B’ orientation exercise would hold at the permanent site.
On his part, Umar Nura, Director, Planning Research and Statistics of the National Youth Service Corps, in a welcome address, charged directors and state coordinators to remain steadfast, committed and disciplined in the discharge of their responsibilities, stressing that effective leadership at all levels is critical to achieving the objectives of the Scheme.
Also speaking, Yavala Jonathan, Plateau State Coordinator of the NYSC, expressed appreciation to the Director-General and the Minister of Youth Development for granting Plateau State the opportunity to host the Annual Management Conference for the second consecutive time, describing the gesture as a vote of confidence in the state.
Jonathan further disclosed that the Plateau State Government has continued to provide immense support to corps members and staff, revealing that the government has allocated land to the Scheme for agricultural activities, a move he said would strengthen NYSC’s drive towards youth empowerment, food security and self-reliance.
Nathaniel E. Gbaoron is the Plateau State correspondent for BusinessDay and a seasoned journalist with a decade of experience covering sub-national affairs across Taraba, Adamawa, Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, and other states.
He holds both National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) in Mass Communication from Fidel Polytechnic, Gboko. Over the years, he has participated in numerous media trainings and workshops spanning various areas of reporting, strengthening his expertise in economic and political reporting, community-level governance, development stories, and conflict-sensitive journalism. He is a member of Correspondent Chapel in Plateau state, a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), he is also a Rotarian and a member of Plateau Club 1921.
