The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the reversal of a long-standing policy restricting National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) postings to the public sector. As of now, corps members can be assigned to private sector organizations, including financial institutions and oil and gas companies ¹ ².
This significant policy shift, directed by Minister for Youth Development Ayodele Olawande, is set to take effect with the commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation exercise, scheduled to begin shortly ¹ ². The previous policy, implemented under former Minister for Youth and Sports Development Bolaji Abdullahi, aimed to prevent private companies from exploiting affordable labor while promoting public sector growth. However, it limited corps members to just four sectors: education, agriculture, healthcare, and infrastructure ¹ ².
According to Olawande, this new directive aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to tackle rising youth unemployment by ensuring government agencies support his administration’s vision ¹ ². Initially, the policy change will be implemented in Lagos and Abuja.
The revised policy allows corps members to gain practical experience in their chosen fields, addressing concerns that the previous policy hindered Nigerian youths from acquiring essential skills for the job market ¹ ². As stated in the memo, “There is an urgent need to review this policy to expand opportunities for corps members to serve in relevant fields.”
Key Policy Changes:
- Lifting of Posting Restrictions: All restrictions on postings have been lifted.
- Posting by Course of Study: Corps members will be posted to organizations aligned with their course of study, wherever possible.
- Private Sector Postings: Select banks and private sector organizations, including those in oil and gas, will commence postings in Abuja and Lagos ¹
