The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has emphasized the need to strengthen the Scheme’s Orientation Course as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, stressing its critical role in equipping young Nigerians with the skills and values required to drive national development.
Nafiu made the call in Abuja while delivering his keynote address at the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre Orientation Course Workshop ahead of the forthcoming 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream I Orientation Course.
According to him, Orientation Courses must serve as milestones of impact and renewed citizenship, capable of shaping Corps Members into responsible and productive contributors to national growth.
The Director-General noted that the continuous increase in the population of Corps Members has made it imperative for state governments to fulfill their obligations to the Scheme through the provision of functional and befitting orientation camps.
“This context underscores the importance of both comprehensive review and inclusive participation in these workshops,” he said.
Nafiu stated that the growing number of Prospective Corps Members presents not only logistical challenges but also opportunities to expand the developmental impact of the NYSC.
“Effectively managing this growing number of Corps Members presents not only logistical challenges but also an opportunity to expand our developmental impact as a Scheme.
By aligning orientation content with national priorities, we can ensure that a larger intake yields better results,” he said.
The NYSC boss charged camp officials to serve as role models for Corps Members by demonstrating exemplary conduct and professionalism.
“Demonstrate good conduct so that Corps Members can look up to you. Guide and inspire them, and make it clear that unethical behaviour by camp officials and Corps Members will not be tolerated,” he stated.
He also advocated the constructive use of digital media tools and public perception platforms to promote responsible digital conduct and effective community mobilization among Corps Members.
“Our orientation programmes should leverage digital media tools constructively and train Corps Members in responsible digital conduct and effective community mobilization,” he said.
On security, Nafiu stressed the need for sustained collaboration with security agencies to ensure the safety of orientation camps nationwide.
“We must promote security awareness and maintain close cooperation with our security partners to keep our camps safe,” he added.
Earlier in his welcome address, the NYSC Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Nura Umar, said the workshop was organized to review the successes and identify gaps in previous orientation courses in order to improve planning and implementation of future exercises.
He noted that the theme of the workshop, “Strengthening the Orientation Course to Advance National Priorities and Contemporary Challenges,” highlights the crucial role of the Orientation Course in shaping the values, conduct and overall service experience of Corps Members.
According to Umar, the Orientation Course remains a vital platform for instilling discipline, patriotism and national values in Corps Members.
He urged participants to take advantage of the workshop to critically assess past experiences and develop strategies for improved service delivery and camp management.