President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the mobilisation of an additional 50,000 graduates for the 2026 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, increasing the total number of corps members expected to be deployed next year to about 418,000.
The announcement was made by the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, during the commissioning of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC headquarters in Abuja to mark his one year in office.
According to the NYSC boss, the approval forms part of the Federal Government’s effort to reduce delays in mobilisation and accommodate the growing number of graduates awaiting national service.
Rising Graduate Population
Nafiu explained that Nigeria’s higher education sector has expanded significantly, resulting in a sharp increase in the number of graduates eligible for national service.
He noted that the country now has over 400 corps-producing tertiary institutions, which collectively graduate about 600,000 students every year.
However, not all graduates participate in the programme annually because some receive exemptions, while others—such as medical doctors and lawyers—must complete additional professional training before mobilisation.
NYSC Growth Over the Years
The NYSC Director-General highlighted how the scheme has expanded since its establishment in 1973.
According to him, the programme initially mobilised 2,364 corps members from fewer than a dozen institutions, but today the system manages hundreds of thousands of graduates each year due to the rapid growth of Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Officials say the new mobilisation approval will help address backlogs of graduates waiting for deployment and improve the efficiency of the national service system.
Discover more from THE CAMPUS FREQUENCY
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
