President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, through Youth Development Minister Jamila Ibrahim, has declared a N10 million grant for 5,000 corps members at the conclusion of their service year. This announcement was made during the swearing-in ceremony for the 2024 Batch B Stream 1 corps members in Niger State, as reported by TVC News.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), established 52 years ago to promote unity and diversity by requiring young graduates to complete a one-year service in a state different from their own, has faced recent criticism about its modern relevance. However, Minister Ibrahim, at the opening ceremony of the inaugural meeting between NYSC management and heads of Corps-Producing Institutions in Abuja on July 1, assured that new reforms are being implemented. These reforms aim to enhance the scheme’s impact by improving skills acquisition and providing grants to boost entrepreneurship at the end of the service year.
In addition to the grants, Niger State Governor Umaru Bago offered automatic employment to corps members who are medical doctors and pledged to involve corps members in the state’s agricultural mechanization initiative. Governor Bago also committed N5 billion for constructing a permanent NYSC orientation camp in the state.