The Federal Government has lifted the restriction limiting National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) postings to the public sector, opening the door for corps members to be deployed to private organisations, including banks and oil and gas companies.
This new policy, outlined in a memo dated November 18, 2024, by the Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, will take effect with the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation exercise.
The prior restriction, introduced during the tenure of former Youth and Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, sought to prevent private companies from exploiting cheap labour while focusing on public sector development. It restricted corps postings to education, agriculture, health, and infrastructure.
Minister Olawande explained that the revised policy aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to address youth unemployment and ensure that corps members gain valuable experience in their fields of study. The rollout will begin in Lagos and Abuja, expanding opportunities for professional development.
“There is an urgent need to review this policy to expand opportunities for corps members to serve in organisations relevant to their areas of study,” Olawande stated.
The memo outlined several directives:
The removal of all restrictions on NYSC postings.
Efforts to align postings with corps members’ academic backgrounds.
Deployment to select banks and private organisations in industries like oil and gas, starting with Lagos and Abuja.
Olawande emphasized that the now-revoked policy limited the ability of Nigerian youth to gain practical experience critical for the labour market, saying, “The directive is effective immediately and seeks to enhance job market preparedness for corps members.”
