The Federal Government has announced plans to replace the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) traditional khaki uniform with uniforms made from locally produced Adire fabric as part of a broad reform agenda aimed at repositioning the scheme.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the development on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television, saying the initiative is designed to encourage local production, revive Nigeria’s textile industry and keep more resources within the country’s economy.
According to the minister, the new uniform will be produced with Adire, a traditional fabric manufactured in states such as Ogun and Kwara, among others.
“We have Adire being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, and we have textile industries. Let us put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.
The planned uniform change is one of several reforms recently approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) following a review of the NYSC scheme.
Despite speculation about possible changes to the programme’s duration, the government retained the one-year mandatory national service while approving seven key reforms aimed at improving its effectiveness.
Among the approved measures are the digitalisation of NYSC operations, a transition in leadership from military to civilian administrators, a redesigned uniform, and a more structured deployment process for corps members.
Explaining the new deployment framework, Olawande said postings would now be guided by the preferences and processes completed by corps members during orientation camp, rather than arbitrary placements.
He noted that the arrangement would ensure that graduates are posted to organisations that better align with their interests and qualifications.
“After leaving camp, you will not just be posted to a school because NYSC wants you there. Your posting will be based on the process you followed during orientation camp. That will provide a framework for where you will eventually serve,” he explained.
The minister also said the reforms were designed to address security concerns raised by parents and prospective corps members, particularly regarding deployments to areas facing security challenges.
According to him, corps members who voluntarily choose to serve in regions such as the North-East would be allowed to do so, while others would instead be deployed within locations where they reside or have stronger geographical ties.
He said the new arrangement would eliminate unnecessary redeployments and make the scheme more efficient and impactful.
His comments come a day after President Bola Tinubu announced that the reformed NYSC would prioritise the deployment of indigenes, residents and graduates of institutions located in states considered high-risk as part of efforts to improve the safety of participants.
The President said the ongoing reforms are intended to make the national service programme “safer and smarter” for Nigerian graduates.
In addition to the new deployment policy and uniform, the reform package introduces 11 specialised service streams for corps members and extends the orientation camp structure to six weeks.