The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has raised the alarm over the increasing rate at which corps members are being rejected by their assigned employers, warning that the trend undermines the core objectives of the national scheme.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, made this known on Wednesday during the 2025 Annual NYSC Corps Employers’ Workshop held in Jos, Plateau State. He was represented at the event by Mrs Gbamisola Salami, the Deputy Director in charge of the North-Central Zone.
Nafiu emphasized that corps employers play a pivotal role in shaping the service year experience of corps members by providing opportunities for them to apply their knowledge, gain practical exposure, and build essential professional skills.
“Your organisations provide a platform for corps members to apply their skills, gain practical experience, and develop their professional capacities,” he said.
However, he expressed dismay at the growing number of corps members who are being turned away or not accepted by the very employers they are posted to, thereby denying them the hands-on experience that is vital to their personal and professional development.
The NYSC DG further highlighted several challenges identified during the scheme’s quarterly inspections, including employers’ failure or delay in requesting corps members, lack of compliance with welfare provisions, and, in some cases, poor treatment of corps members.
He called on corps employers to show greater empathy and responsibility, urging them to provide a supportive and dignified work environment that enhances corps members’ productivity and well-being.
“By working together, we can ensure that the NYSC programme remains relevant, effective, and impactful in shaping the next generation of Nigerian leaders,” Nafiu stated.
He appreciated the organisations that have remained supportive of the NYSC scheme over the years, saying their commitment is critical to achieving the vision of the programme.
Earlier in his remarks, the NYSC Coordinator for Plateau State, Mr Jonathan Yavala, said the workshop was designed to strengthen ties between corps employers and the NYSC, while also addressing issues affecting corps deployment and workplace engagement.
He described the workshop theme—“Partners in Progress: Corps Employers’ Role in Enhancing Corps Members’ Well-being and Productivity”—as timely and significant in view of the scheme’s efforts to deepen its impact on nation-building.
“You are not merely workplace supervisors: you are mentors, guides, and collaborators in shaping the future of these young Nigerians,” Yavala told participants.
In his keynote address, Mr Musa Ashoms, Plateau State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development and Chairman of the NYSC Governing Board in the state, officially declared the workshop open.
Ashoms lauded the NYSC for its consistency and foresight in organizing the engagement, noting that corps members should be treated not just as temporary workers, but as valuable contributors to national development.
He urged all stakeholders to work collaboratively in creating a conducive atmosphere where corps members can thrive, learn, and contribute meaningfully to their host communities and the nation at large.
