The Federal Government has approved an additional 50,000 slots for the 2026 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization cycle to address the increasing number of graduates awaiting national service.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, announced the expansion in Abuja during the inauguration of the Scheme’s remodeled National Directorate Headquarters Clinic. The event also marked Nafiu’s first anniversary as Chief Executive.
Budgetary Provisions and Welfare Upgrades
According to the Director-General, the 50,000 extra slots have already been incorporated into the 2026 budget. Furthermore, provisions have been secured for the 2027 budget cycle to enhance the quality of uniforms, feeding, and transportation allowances for Corps members.
For the current 2026 service year, the Scheme aims to mobilize approximately 450,000 prospective Corps members. General Nafiu emphasized that deployment strategies remain focused on safety, stating that the Scheme avoids posting participants to “red zones” (high-risk areas).
”We owe parents the responsibility of safeguarding the lives of their children,” Nafiu stated, while also acknowledging the recent Presidential approval of the ₦77,000 monthly allowance.
Institutional Reform and Infrastructure
The DG highlighted several administrative milestones achieved over the past year, including:
Staff Welfare: Completion of the 2025 staff promotion exercise, payment of retirement benefits, and the introduction of peculiar allowances.
Operational Capacity: A successful recruitment exercise and the acquisition of a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus to improve mobility.
Digitalization: A partnership with the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University to digitize the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) platform.
Ministerial Support and Safety Warnings
Inaugurating the upgraded clinic, the Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, praised Nafiu’s leadership and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to reforming the Scheme.
The Minister concluded with a stern safety advisory for Corps members, urging them to avoid night travel. “When you are traveling and it is getting late, locate the nearest military barracks, police station, or NYSC office and spend the night there,” Olawande advised.