NYSC Trains Over 1.3 Million Youths, Pushes Entrepreneurship to Fight Unemployment By Raymond Enoch
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it has trained more than 1.3 million Nigerian youths in vocational and business skills as part of efforts to tackle unemployment.
In a statement signed by Caroline Embu, Director, Information and Public Relations, NYSC, and made available to the press, the Director General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this while addressing participants of the Senior Executive Course 48 of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, during a study tour to the NYSC headquarters.
According to him, a total of 1,391,119 corps members were trained between 2019 and 2025 under the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Nafiu explained that the programme, introduced in 2012, was designed to equip young graduates with practical skills and encourage self-reliance, especially at a time when white-collar jobs are no longer readily available.
He said the NYSC has continued to empower corps members to become job creators rather than job seekers, noting that many beneficiaries have gone on to establish successful businesses.
The DG also called for support in ensuring the passage of the NYSC Trust Fund Bill, which has been approved by the National Assembly and is awaiting presidential assent. He said the fund would provide start-up capital for corps members after their service year.
Nafiu commended government agencies and private organisations for supporting the programme through funding, grants and training.
In his remarks, Director General of NIPSS, Professor Ayo Omotayo, praised the NYSC for its role in youth empowerment and reducing unemployment.
He said the study tour would help participants develop practical solutions to Nigeria’s unemployment challenges, adding that their recommendations would be presented to the federal government.
Omotayo also assured that NIPSS would support efforts to strengthen the NYSC’s capacity to deliver on its mandate.
The visit featured a documentary showcasing success stories of young entrepreneurs who benefitted from the SAED initiative.
