The Federal Government has unveiled plans to phase out the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) traditional khaki uniform and replace it with locally made Adire fabrics as part of a broad reform aimed at revitalising the scheme and boosting Nigeria’s indigenous textile sector.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced the development on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief. He explained that the initiative is intended to ensure government expenditure benefits local textile producers and encourages domestic manufacturing.
According to the minister, Adire is widely produced in several states, including Ogun and Kwara, making it a suitable alternative that will support the nation’s economy by patronising Nigerian-made products.
As part of the reform, corps members will also be assigned to their places of primary assignment based largely on their academic backgrounds and professional qualifications. Olawande said a profiling exercise conducted during orientation camp would guide the posting process to ensure graduates are deployed to roles that align with their fields of study rather than being assigned arbitrarily.
He further revealed that the government is reviewing the deployment system to improve the safety of corps members. Under the proposed arrangement, participants will be posted mainly to states where they studied or are already familiar with, while those who voluntarily choose to serve in other parts of the country will still have that opportunity.
The minister noted that the revised approach would reduce the need for frequent redeployments and make the scheme more efficient by assigning corps members to locations where they can contribute effectively without unnecessary administrative hurdles.
Addressing speculation about the military’s role in the NYSC, Olawande dismissed claims that the armed forces would be removed from the programme. He clarified that although the scheme’s administration would remain under civilian leadership, the military would continue to provide security support whenever necessary.
The reform package, approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday, marks the first major review of the NYSC since it was established in 1973. As part of the implementation process, the council has directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development to initiate amendments to the NYSC Act to reflect the proposed changes.
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