The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has empowered a total of 58,933 Corps members with various digital skills as part of its entrepreneurship and youth empowerment drive over the past two years.
NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this during a retreat organised by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in Abuja, themed “Achieving the Youth-Focused Presidential Priorities and Deliverables.” He noted that the Scheme has consistently drawn support from the Ministry and the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Highlighting NYSC’s commitment to education, health, and social investment – key pillars of the sixth priority area – General Nafiu revealed that by the second quarter of 2025, 56,013 Corps members had received ICT training in orientation camps nationwide. He added that a collaboration with the Enterprise Development Centre enabled 2,920 female Corps members to benefit from specialized digital training.
According to the DG, NYSC has also enhanced youth entrepreneurship through inter-agency collaboration and strategic partnerships with Access Bank, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, NNPC Foundation/Kudimata, and Activate Success under its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme. Between June 2023 and mid-2025, 385,461 Corps members participated in SAED activities, while 1,118 Corps members received financial support to launch their businesses.
General Nafiu further noted NYSC’s impact in education, with 574,000 Corps members deployed to teaching assignments, particularly in rural schools, and 38,112 posted to health facilities, thereby boosting access to essential services. Additionally, 49,839 Nigerians benefited from medical outreach programmes under the NYSC Health Initiative for Rural Dwellers.
He emphasized that these achievements reflect the Scheme’s commitment to advancing the Renewed Hope Agenda and pledged to deepen partnerships that promote youth empowerment and national development.
In his remarks, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, praised NYSC’s contributions while urging young Nigerians to maximize the youth help desk established at the Ministry. He disclosed that the Ministry surpassed its digital skills training target by equipping 15,509 youths instead of the planned 10,000.
Olawande also revealed that while 80,000 youths were originally expected to benefit from mentorship and career development programmes, 97,212 were reached. Furthermore, 5,023 youths were trained in crime reduction and peacebuilding, while the Nigerian Youth Academy (NIYA) has recorded over 250,000 participants.
He stressed the need to fast-track the implementation of the National Youth Investment Fund to further accelerate youth-focused initiatives across the country.
