The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has revealed that the Federal Ministry of Education is proposing an extension of the national service duration from one year to two years.
This proposal was made public through a statement released on Saturday by the NYSC’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Caroline Embu.
The announcement followed a courtesy visit by NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in Abuja on Friday. The meeting is part of broader efforts to reform the NYSC scheme, particularly in addressing certificate fraud and enhancing the programme’s credibility.
In 2024, a federal probe uncovered that over 22,700 Nigerians had submitted fake foreign degree certificates in a bid to participate in the NYSC programme. This discovery sparked a nationwide crackdown and a wave of reforms to clean up the system.
During the meeting, Dr. Alausa noted the Ministry’s ongoing digitisation of the verification process for foreign-trained graduates. He also applauded the NYSC’s strides in digitising its mobilisation system, which he said has played a key role in reducing certificate fraud.
The Minister advocated for a two-year NYSC service term, emphasising that an extended programme would give room for a more robust Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) initiative. “NYSC has done remarkably well. Extending the service period will give corps members more opportunities to become job creators and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he stated.
In response, the NYSC DG expressed readiness to align with federal government reforms. “We are committed to reforming the scheme in line with current national priorities,” Nafiu said.
He also recommended the establishment of a centralised database to monitor Nigerian youths studying abroad, stating that such a system would help the government keep accurate records and reduce the number of fake graduates.
