The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described the recently approved reforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) as largely superficial and insufficiently far-reaching, warning that the proposed changes risk undermining the original philosophy and national integration mandate upon which the Scheme was established over five decades ago.

While HURIWA welcomes every sincere effort aimed at improving the welfare, security and employability of Nigerian youths, we are compelled to ask fundamental questions regarding both the content and process of the so-called reforms.

Why was the drafting of these reforms carried out without visible and meaningful participation of the organised civil society community, youth advocacy groups, labour stakeholders, educational institutions, security experts and the wider Nigerian public? Why has a matter as important as the future of the NYSC been treated as an administrative exercise rather than a national conversation involving all critical stakeholders?

The NYSC was established primarily as a vehicle for national integration, unity and inter-ethnic understanding following the Nigerian civil war. Its central objective was never merely vocational training or job placement. Consequently, HURIWA is concerned that the newly announced reforms appear to place excessive emphasis on entrepreneurship, skills acquisition and productivity while paying little attention to the Scheme’s foundational mission of fostering national cohesion.

If government intends to transform the NYSC into a predominantly skills-acquisition institution, then Nigerians deserve clarity on how this differs fundamentally from the statutory functions of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), which already exists to provide vocational training, entrepreneurship support and employment generation programmes.

Indeed, if the government’s long-term vision is to make skills acquisition the principal mandate of the NYSC, it may be more logical to harmonise overlapping functions by restructuring relevant agencies rather than altering the core purpose of a national institution designed specifically to promote unity among Nigeria’s diverse peoples.

HURIWA notes that the current NYSC programme already incorporates extensive skills-acquisition and entrepreneurship training through its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative. The Scheme has for years partnered with private-sector organisations, development institutions and training providers to equip corps members with practical skills. Therefore, the government must clearly explain what distinguishes the proposed reforms from programmes that already exist within the NYSC framework.

More importantly, if escalating insecurity has raised legitimate concerns about the continued viability of nationwide deployment, then there should be credible, transparent and nationwide consultations to determine the future direction of the Scheme. Such a consequential decision should not be made without broad national consensus.

Nigeria today is arguably more divided along ethnic, regional and religious lines than at any time in recent history. Tribal distrust, social fragmentation and identity-based politics continue to threaten national cohesion. At such a critical moment, HURIWA believes it would be a grave mistake to weaken or dilute the national integration objectives embedded in the NYSC Act.

The telos—the fundamental purpose—of the NYSC must not be sacrificed. Rather than diminishing its nation-building mandate, reforms should strengthen opportunities for meaningful inter-cultural engagement, national reconciliation and civic education among young Nigerians.

HURIWA therefore urges the Federal Government to immediately convene broad-based public hearings and stakeholder consultations involving civil society organisations, youth groups, labour unions, professional associations, security experts, educational institutions, traditional rulers and other interested Nigerians before proceeding with amendments to the NYSC Act.

The future of one of Nigeria’s most enduring national institutions should be determined through inclusive dialogue, not executive proclamation.