By Harriet Tornguvan
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has entered into a partnership with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to train corps members in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) retrofitting as part of efforts to expand youth empowerment and entrepreneurship opportunities in Nigeria.
The collaboration was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja, aimed at integrating CNG retrofitting training into the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, said the Scheme possesses the infrastructure and nationwide network needed to support large-scale vocational training for corps members.
According to him, the NYSC has facilitated in-camp SAED training for over 300,000 corps members annually, while more than 1.5 million corps members have participated in post-camp vocational training since the programme was introduced in 2012.
General Nafiu noted that the partnership with NADDC would further strengthen the capacity of corps members by equipping them with technical skills relevant to the nation’s growing energy transition drive.
“For over five decades, the NYSC has been mobilising Nigerian graduates in support of unity and national development. In response to the rising rate of unemployment, we launched the SAED programme in 2012 because service with skills leaves corps members better equipped,” he said.
He added that the NYSC would provide orientation camps, training venues and administrative support to ensure the success of the programme nationwide.
The NYSC boss also expressed optimism that the initiative would produce certified CNG technicians capable of contributing meaningfully to the country’s automotive and energy sectors.
On his part, the Director-General of NADDC, Otunba Joseph Osanipin, described the partnership as a strategic step towards developing skilled manpower for Nigeria’s CNG industry.
He disclosed that the council had committed to funding the programme for an initial period of three years, stressing that the initiative would deliver practical and professional training for corps members, particularly those with engineering backgrounds.
“Through this partnership, NADDC will deploy its full technical capacity to design and deliver a CNG retrofitting curriculum of the highest professional standard that will produce corps members who are genuinely certified, practically competent and enterprise-ready,” he stated.
Osanipin added that the council remained fully committed to ensuring the success of the programme and transforming the lives of participating youths.
Also speaking, the Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Dr Titilope Gbadamosi, said the collaboration aligned with the Federal Government’s energy transition agenda while creating market-relevant vocational opportunities for young Nigerians.
She explained that the initiative was designed to build a pool of certified CNG technicians among corps members who would support the country’s growing adoption of alternative energy solutions.
The Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, said the partnership between NYSC and NADDC had the potential to create about 5,000 jobs for Nigerian youths.
He urged stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at bridging the nation’s skills gap and creating opportunities for young people to thrive.
According to the minister, the Federal Government had been promoting the use of CNG in the last three years, stressing that Nigerian youths must take advantage of the opportunities within the sector.
“We must not bring people from outside the country to fix our CNG systems while our youths remain unemployed,” he said.
Olawande commended NADDC for fully funding the programme and encouraged corps members to utilise their service year productively by acquiring skills that would enable them to become self-reliant and employers of labour.
