The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with the media as part of efforts to promote national unity, empower Nigerian youths and ensure accurate reportage of its activities. This was highlighted during a courtesy visit by the Association of Corporate Online Editors (ACOE) to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
In his welcome address, the NYSC Director-General represented by the Director of Media, Mr. Emeka Rems Mgbemena stressed the critical role of effective communication in advancing the scheme’s mandate. He noted that the NYSC runs its own television and radio stations, as well as quarterly publications, with several of its media personnel being members of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. Mgbemena emphasised that constructive engagement and honest feedback from journalists remain vital for institutional development.
Tracing the scheme’s origins to Nigeria’s post–civil war nation-building efforts, Mgbemena described the NYSC as a “strategic national asset” established to foster unity, cultural understanding and youth empowerment.
He noted that the scheme has evolved into a major platform for grooming entrepreneurs and equipping young Nigerians with skills that enhance national economic growth.
He appealed to media practitioners to continue promoting values that strengthen national cohesion while avoiding divisive narratives and stereotypes. Mgbemena further assured that the NYSC leadership, under Director-General Brigadier General Nafiu Olayinka, remains media-friendly, accessible and committed to transparency.
Also speaking, the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Mrs. Caroline Embu, urged journalists to always verify information before publication. She stressed that balanced and accurate reporting is essential to protecting the credibility of the Corps and preventing the spread of misinformation. She pledged that the NYSC would sustain its open-door policy and deepen communication with media organisations.
Earlier, ACOE Chairman, Comrade Sola Akingboye, expressed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed the association’s commitment to partnering with institutions that significantly contribute to national development. He praised the NYSC’s core objectives of fostering unity, cultural integration, discipline and youth empowerment, while commending Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu for promoting transparency and prioritising youth welfare since assuming office in March.
Akingboye highlighted ACOE’s capacity to influence digital narratives and called for a “mutually beneficial media relationship” that would amplify the Corps’ nation-building agenda. He expressed confidence that the strengthened partnership would further solidify ties between both organisations.
The visit concluded with mutual assurances of continued cooperation, as both institutions reaffirmed their commitment to youth development, national integration and responsible journalism.
Present at the meeting were senior NYSC management officials including Mr. Emeka Rems Mgbemena, Mrs. Caroline Embu and other top directors of the scheme. The ACOE delegation comprised executives of the association and members of the investiture planning committee.
