Federal Government Plans to Transform NYSC Camps into Skill Acquisition Hubs

• Olawande emphasized that the initiative would be executed through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), acknowledging the need for young Nigerians to gain valuable skills during their service year
  

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The Federal Government has unveiled plans to convert National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camps nationwide into skill acquisition centres aimed at empowering Corps members.

Comrade Ayodele Olawande, the Minister of Youth Development, disclosed this at his maiden interactive session with the press in Abuja on Monday, following his promotion to the substantive role after serving as Minister of State.

Olawande emphasized that the initiative would be executed through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP), acknowledging the need for young Nigerians to gain valuable skills during their service year.

He stressed that not every graduate would find employment in the public or private sectors and underscored the importance of making NYSC a platform for self-development.

“We want to turn NYSC orientation camps into skills hubs. Enough is enough; young Nigerians must not spend one year without gaining something that can shape their future. We cannot continue like this; things must change,” Olawande stated.

He reiterated a previous directive that Corps members should only be posted to areas aligned with their field of study, affirming that the policy would be strictly enforced.

Olawande also appealed to the Nigerian youth to remain hopeful and support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to address the nation’s challenges. He acknowledged concerns about hunger and unemployment but emphasized that only Nigerians working together could resolve these issues.

The Minister further called on the media to support the Ministry’s efforts in empowering young Nigerians, stressing the critical role of youth in the country’s economic development. He expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for appointing a youth-focused Minister for the first time since 1999, noting that the ministry would run an open-door policy to foster collaboration.