The Federal Government has confirmed that the iconic khaki uniform worn by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for more than five decades will be replaced with Adire-inspired attire as part of the sweeping reforms recently approved for the scheme.
Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the development during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, saying the decision is aimed at promoting local textile production, boosting indigenous industries and giving the NYSC a fresh national identity.
According to the minister, the adoption of Adire is also intended to ensure that government spending directly benefits Nigeria’s economy.
“It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.
The announcement comes just days after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the first comprehensive review of the NYSC since it was established in 1973.
Besides replacing the traditional khaki uniform, the reforms extend the orientation camp from three weeks to six weeks while retaining the one-year service period. The revamped orientation programme will place greater emphasis on leadership development, entrepreneurship, digital literacy, financial education and specialised career training.
The reforms also introduce a civilian-led operational structure for the NYSC, although the military will continue to provide security support during orientation camps and other operational activities.
Addressing concerns that the military was being removed from the scheme, Olawande dismissed the reports as misleading.
“We are not taking the military out of NYSC; it’s just a misconception. Military is not taken away; there is no way you can take the military away. It is just saying that we are moving away from military mobilisation to civilian mobilisation,” he explained.
Another major feature of the overhaul is a new deployment strategy that will match corps members’ primary assignments with their academic qualifications and career aspirations.
According to the minister, graduates of education-related courses, for instance, will be posted to schools based on their professional training rather than through the existing random posting system.
“After you are leaving the camp, you are not just posted to a school just because NYSC wants you to be in school but because of the process you followed when in camp,” Olawande said.
The Federal Government is also introducing a security risk-based deployment policy, with authorities considering posting corps members to areas where they studied or are familiar with, particularly in regions affected by insecurity.
Speaking after the FEC meeting that approved the reforms, Olawande said the overhaul is designed to reposition the NYSC into a modern institution that equips graduates with practical skills while preserving its original mandate of promoting national unity.
“The approved reforms will reposition the NYSC as a skills-driven, productivity-focused and youth-empowering institution that aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vision of building a $1 trillion economy,” the minister stated.
President Bola Tinubu also defended the reforms, describing them as necessary to prepare young Nigerians for the realities of today’s economy.
“Every corps member must leave NYSC better prepared for work, enterprise and national service,” the President said while explaining the rationale behind the overhaul.
In addition to the new Adire uniform, the reforms introduce a technology-driven mobilisation process, improved orientation camp standards through a national grading system, and the replacement of the traditional Passing-Out Parade with a graduation ceremony to reflect the scheme’s new focus on skills acquisition and professional development.
To pave the way for implementation, the Federal Executive Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Ministry of Youth Development to begin amendments to the NYSC Act and relevant regulations, as some of the approved changes require legislative backing before taking effect.
