The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced plans to adopt a standardised protocol for Corps Members with disabilities during the Orientation Course and throughout the service year.
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this in his keynote address at the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Pre-Orientation Workshop themed “Revamping the NYSC Orientation Course Experience as a Foundation for Impactful Service by Corps Members,” held in Jos, Plateau State.
According to a statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, General Nafiu said the initiative, which aligns with the Scheme’s welfare strategies, would prioritise dignity, inclusion and equal opportunity, beyond mere compliance.
He said the move underscores the NYSC’s commitment to leaving no one behind and positioning the Scheme as a humane, progressive and nationally responsive institution, while also emphasising the importance of emotional intelligence and empathy in engagements with Corps Members and camp officials.
General Nafiu stressed that the Orientation Course, as the foundation of a successful service year, must continually reflect national realities, global best practices and evolving youth behaviour.
He noted that the course must deliver relevance, quality and measurable outcomes that would enable Corps Members to integrate seamlessly into their host communities and transition into productive lives after national service.
He added that the Pre-Orientation Workshop was critical for analysing emerging challenges and developing practical solutions aimed at enhancing the national service experience in line with contemporary realities.
The NYSC boss commended officials of the Scheme and partner agencies for their teamwork, which he said had contributed to the success of previous Orientation exercises.
He charged participants at the workshop to generate innovative ideas that would improve operational efficiency, institutional intelligence, camp management and stakeholder engagement.
General Nafiu also called for technology-driven initiatives to transform the Orientation Course into a dynamic platform that would prepare Corps Members to serve, lead, innovate and contribute meaningfully to national development.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr Nura Umar, described the workshop theme as strategic, noting that the Orientation Course plays a vital role in shaping the mindset, conduct and overall experience of Corps Members.
He said the course would instil discipline, patriotism and other core values of the NYSC, adding that the workshop would review previous Orientation exercises, identify operational challenges and strengthen inter-agency collaboration to improve service delivery in camps nationwide.
