By Harriet Tornguvan
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced plans to deepen skills acquisition and values-based empowerment for prospective corps members as part of efforts to enhance national development and strengthen citizenship among Nigerian youths.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at the 2026 Batch 'B' Stream I Pre-Orientation Course Workshop.
Nafiu said the orientation programme remains a strategic investment in Nigeria's future and should continue to serve as a platform for equipping young Nigerians with the skills, values, and mindset required to contribute meaningfully to national growth.
According to him, orientation courses must go beyond routine exercises and become milestones of impact, capable of fostering renewed citizenship and patriotism among corps members.
He noted that the growing number of graduates participating in the scheme has led to a corresponding increase in the population of prospective corps members, making it necessary for state governments to fulfill their responsibilities by providing functional and befitting orientation camp facilities.
"This context underscores the importance of both comprehensive review and inclusive participation in these workshops," he said.
The NYSC boss explained that while the increasing corps population presents logistical challenges, it also offers opportunities to expand the developmental impact of the scheme if orientation programmes are aligned with national priorities.
"Effectively managing this growing number of corps members presents not only logistical challenges but also an opportunity to expand our developmental impact as a scheme. By aligning orientation content with national priorities, we can ensure that a larger intake yields better results," Nafiu stated.
He charged camp officials to uphold high ethical standards and serve as role models to corps members, stressing that indiscipline and unethical conduct would not be tolerated.
"Demonstrate good conduct so that corps members can look up to you. Guide and inspire them, and make it clear that unethical behaviour by camp officials and corps members will not be tolerated," he said.
Nafiu also emphasized the importance of leveraging digital media tools to promote responsible online conduct and effective community mobilization among corps members.
He urged orientation camp administrators to prioritize security awareness and sustain close collaboration with security agencies to guarantee the safety of participants throughout the orientation exercise.
"We must promote security awareness and maintain close cooperation with our security partners to keep our camps safe," he added.
Earlier, the NYSC Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Nura Umar, said the workshop was convened to assess previous orientation courses, identify gaps, and improve planning for future exercises.
Umar noted that the theme of the workshop, "Strengthening the Orientation Course to Advance National Priorities and Contemporary Challenges," highlights the crucial role of the orientation programme in shaping the values, conduct, and overall service experience of corps members.
He described the orientation course as a vital platform for instilling discipline, patriotism, and national values in young graduates, urging participants to critically review past experiences and develop strategies for improved service delivery and camp management.
The workshop forms part of preparations for the 2026 Batch 'B' Stream I Orientation Course scheduled to hold across the country.
