The minister of youth development, Jamila Bio-Ibrahim on Monday revealed that the government will be tinkering with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Bio-Ibrahim said the essence is to ensure that the scheme meet the demands of the future.
The minister said a team to undertake the review, restructuring, and reforms of the NYSC would be inaugurated soon.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the maiden meeting of NYSC management with heads of corps-producing institutions in Nigeria, in Abuja, the minister also announced that over 5,000 corps members will have their entrepreneurial ventures funded with close to N10 million.
She said: “Permit me to inform us very briefly that on what is to come regarding NYSC reforms. I’m pleased to announce that I will be inaugurating a team to undertake the review, restructuring, and reforms of the NYSC. The first of these reforms will be centred on reviewing participants with an entrepreneurship mindset and making skills development a core of the programme.
“The NYSC already does that but the objective is to work with them to strengthen what that mandate that they already have more efficient, effective, and beneficiary.
“So we envision a future where the NYSC programmes are not only self-sustained but also a revenue-generating programme within the next five years and to achieve this, we will institutionalise the NYSC ventures as an investment and asset management outfit.
“Furthermore, as part of the Nigeria youth investment fund programme for 2024, I’m also pleased to announce that at least 5,000 corps members will have their entrepreneurial ventures funded with upto N10 million passing out.”
Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau’ Ahmed, while welcoming the heads of corps-producing institutions, said the meeting aimed at enhancing the mobilisation process of prospective corps members.
Ahmed said the meeting, which is a follow-up to a previous one with heads of corps-producing institutions in West African countries, aims to evolve strategies for eliminating identified flaws and ensuring a more seamless mobilisation process.
“We have identified some obstacles, including the delegation of roles to subordinates, and we believe that the direct involvement of chief executives of institutions will promote a deeper appreciation of issues and ensure desired results,” Ahmed added.
