By FOLASADE AKPAN

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, says President Bola Tinubu has approved an additional 50,000 eligible graduates for mobilisation in 2026.

Nafiu disclosed this on Friday in Abuja during the commissioning of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC headquarters to mark his one year in office.

He said the approval was part of efforts to address delays in mobilisation and improve opportunities for graduates awaiting national service.

“Government listens and acts when people bring up issues that are in their name.

“In response to this agitation, this issue of long waits for mobilisation, Mr President, in the 2026 budget approved an additional 50,000 corps members for mobilisation,” he said.

The NYSC boss said the scheme had expanded significantly since its establishment in 1973 and that with the new addition, the scheme plans to mobilise 418,000 corps members in 2026.

According to him, mobilisation has grown alongside the increase in tertiary institutions across the country.

“We started with less than 10 or 12 corps-producing institutions in 1972, and from that we were able to mobilise 2,364 corps members.

“Today we have over 400 corps-producing institutions turning out around 600,000 graduates yearly,” he said.

Nafiu explained that not all graduates are eligible for the scheme each year because some receive exemptions, while professionals such as medical doctors and lawyers undergo additional training before mobilisation.

He said the scheme was currently working with an automated system that regulates mobilisation and deployment processes.

“So when you don’t go to camp, the system we operate is automated. It will not mobilise you until that pool is depleted,” he explained.

The D-G attributed some delays experienced by prospective corps members to institutions failing to upload Senate-approved lists on the NYSC portal in time.

He also said some graduates decline mobilisation after being posted to certain states.

According to him, the scheme avoids deploying corps members to high-risk locations.

“As much as possible, we do not deploy corps members to red zones, and even when corps members go to such states, they are restricted to state capitals and major cities,” Nafiu said.

He said the management remained committed to the safety and welfare of corps members nationwide.

“We are parents ourselves and we cannot toy with other people’s children.

“We owe parents that responsibility of securing the lives of their children,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr Ayodele Olawande, commended Nafiu for what he described as impactful leadership within his first year in office.

Olawande said the remodelled clinic reflected the NYSC leadership’s commitment to the welfare of staff and corps members.

“You can see today that one of those priorities has been the welfare of the staff and those working in this headquarters.

“It has been paramount to him to have a truly functional clinic,” he said.

The minister also addressed recent security concerns involving corps members and urged them to avoid travelling at night.

“We may not be where we want to be, even as a country or as an agency, but we are working towards it and doing everything possible to secure our corps members,” he said.

He added that the Federal Government was working on additional measures, including insurance coverage, to strengthen the protection of corps members.

“I have said it and I will keep saying it, please do not travel at night.

“Travel when you can see and we can see ourselves so that we can minimise these incidents,” he said.

The NYSC clinic was remodelled as part of initiatives to improve welfare services at the scheme’s headquarters.

NAN reports that the NYSC scheme was established in 1973 to promote national unity and integration by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in states that are not states of their origin. (NAN)

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