Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Abuja, Nigeria — Former Chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and Director of the Abuja School of Social Thought and Politics, Dr. Sam Amadi, has called on the Federal Government to end the compulsory nature of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in a memo widely reported today, arguing that the 53-year-old programme has outlived its original purpose and now functions largely as a source of cheap labour for employers.
Amadi made the remarks during an interview on News Central Television while reacting to the Federal Government's proposed reforms to the NYSC scheme. His comments come as the administration of President Bola Tinubu pursues what officials describe as the most comprehensive overhaul of the scheme since it was established in 1973.
According to Amadi, while the government deserves credit for reviewing the programme, the proposed reforms do not address what he considers the scheme's fundamental shortcomings. He argued that the debate should not be limited to extending orientation camp activities or introducing structural adjustments but should instead focus on whether participation should remain mandatory for all eligible graduates.
He maintained that compulsory national service no longer reflects Nigeria's present realities, saying the scheme has gradually shifted away from its original objective of promoting national unity after the Nigerian Civil War and has become a mechanism through which many private organisations obtain skilled graduate labour at minimal cost.
"The NYSC has become a cheap labour for the private sector," Amadi said, insisting that national service should no longer be compulsory but redesigned to attract voluntary participation through meaningful incentives and opportunities.
The policy expert argued that if national service is to remain relevant, it should be transformed into a programme that equips graduates with practical skills capable of addressing Nigeria's development challenges. He proposed that greater emphasis should be placed on literacy campaigns, innovation, entrepreneurship, vocational training, technology, community development and skills acquisition rather than routine postings that often offer little professional value.
According to him, the government should create a competitive and rewarding system that motivates graduates to participate willingly instead of relying on legal compulsion. He argued that participants should receive tangible career advantages, professional development opportunities and incentives that make the programme beneficial to both graduates and the country.
Amadi also questioned whether the current reform proposals sufficiently align the NYSC with a clearly defined national development agenda. He expressed concern that while structural changes may improve administration, they do not fundamentally reposition the programme to contribute meaningfully to economic growth, youth employment and innovation.
His remarks have added fresh momentum to an already growing national debate over the future of the NYSC. Established by the military government of General Yakubu Gowon in 1973 following the civil war, the scheme was designed to foster national integration by deploying graduates to states other than their places of origin for one year of service.
Over the past five decades, more than six million Nigerian graduates have participated in the programme, serving in schools, hospitals, government institutions, private organisations and community development projects across the country. While many former corps members credit the scheme with exposing them to different cultures and creating employment opportunities, critics have increasingly questioned its relevance in light of modern economic and security realities.
Security concerns have become one of the strongest arguments for reform. In recent years, repeated attacks by bandits, terrorists and kidnappers in several parts of the country have heightened fears among prospective corps members and their families. Cases involving the abduction or killing of corps members have renewed calls for the government to review deployment policies and strengthen security arrangements.
Economic concerns have also featured prominently in discussions. Critics argue that many corps members are posted to organisations that depend heavily on their services without offering meaningful career development or permanent employment. Others contend that the programme delays graduates from entering the labour market while providing allowances that struggle to keep pace with rising living costs.
Supporters of the scheme, however, insist that the NYSC remains one of Nigeria's most significant nation-building institutions. They argue that it continues to promote cultural integration, strengthen national unity and provide essential manpower to underserved communities, particularly in education and healthcare.
The House of Representatives recently expressed concern over the growing rejection of corps members by government agencies and directed ministries, departments and agencies to stop refusing NYSC postings, warning that the trend undermines the objectives of the programme.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has approved wide-ranging reforms expected to modernise the scheme. Among the proposals are an expanded orientation programme, stronger focus on entrepreneurship and skills acquisition, improved deployment procedures, enhanced digital operations and initiatives aimed at making corps members more employable after service.
Although government officials believe the reforms will reposition the NYSC for the future, Amadi insists that genuine reform must begin with making participation voluntary and ensuring the programme delivers measurable benefits to graduates and the wider economy.
His intervention has reignited public discussion over whether the NYSC should be retained in its current form, comprehensively restructured or transformed into an optional national service programme better suited to Nigeria's contemporary realities.
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