Reported by Ariajegbe Sylvia Esezobor
Olam Nigeria Limited has sought a strategic partnership with the National Youth Service Corps to strengthen aquaculture development and expand youth empowerment opportunities across the country, proposing a structured training programme that would equip Corps Members with practical skills and connect them with farmers nationwide.
The General Manager of Olam Nigeria, Mrs Morenike Alayerogun, made the request when she led a delegation of the company on a courtesy visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, according to a statement issued by the NYSC on Tuesday. Alayerogun disclosed that approximately 200 Corps Members were currently serving with Olam in various fields, and said the company remained committed to supporting the Federal Government's efforts in nation-building, youth development and mentorship for Corps Members.
At the heart of the proposal is a one-year training programme that would bring academic specialists from universities across Nigeria to Olam's research and development institute in Ilorin, Kwara State, after which they would be deployed to farmers nationwide to provide technical support. Alayerogun said combining theoretical knowledge with practical training would improve the productivity and sustainability of aquaculture operations, a sector that remains central to Nigeria's food security and agricultural growth agenda. She disclosed that Olam had completed what she described as the largest research and development institute for aquaculture in Ilorin, and was currently constructing another factory in Asaba, Delta State, as part of its ongoing expansion drive.
The company's proposal includes a commitment to full welfare support for Corps Members who participate in the programme. "We will accommodate and feed them, and after one year, we will attach them to our farmers all over the nation," Alayerogun said. She also proposed a collaborative training initiative under which participating Corps Members could subsequently access support from the Bank of Industry to establish their own enterprises. According to her, the initiative would contribute to the Federal Government's ambition of growing Nigeria's economy to one trillion dollars, a target that the Tinubu administration has consistently identified as a central economic objective.
Alayerogun requested the deployment of additional Corps Members, particularly to support farm operations in Kwara State, where Olam is expanding its aquaculture activities. The request reflects both the scale of the company's operations and the value it places on Corps Members as a source of trained, motivated personnel capable of supporting its agricultural investments. She emphasised that equipping farmers with adequate theoretical and practical knowledge would enhance the productivity and sustainability of their aquaculture businesses, with the Corps Members serving as a bridge between the research institute and the farms where that knowledge is most needed.
Responding to the proposal, the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, described unemployment as a global challenge affecting young people and stressed the importance of creating opportunities that equip them with skills for self-reliance. He said agribusiness remained a significant component of Nigeria's economy, noting that this underscored the relevance of Olam's agricultural investments and programmes. Nafiu commended Olam for its contributions to the Nigerian economy and its efforts to empower Corps Members through workplace experience and mentorship.
The Director-General, however, used the occasion to reiterate the NYSC's firm opposition to the misuse and underutilisation of Corps Members by employers. "We want to thank you for the value addition to our Corps Members," Nafiu said, while urging all Corps Employers to continue to add value to the young Nigerians deployed to their organisations. He disclosed that a Memorandum of Understanding would be required to clearly define the responsibilities of both parties under the proposed partnership, and stressed that the security and welfare of Corps Members remained a top priority for the Scheme. The requirement for a formal MoU reflects the NYSC's commitment to ensuring that any partnership involving Corps Members is governed by clear terms that protect their interests and guarantee meaningful engagement.
The meeting is expected to pave the way for structured collaboration between the NYSC and Olam in aquaculture training, youth entrepreneurship, agricultural development and the deployment of Corps Members to relevant agricultural operations. If finalised, the partnership would represent a significant expansion of Olam's existing relationship with the NYSC, building on the approximately 200 Corps Members already serving with the company across various fields. It would also provide a model for how private-sector agricultural companies can partner with the national service scheme to address youth unemployment while strengthening food production.
The proposal comes amid growing national attention to aquaculture as a driver of economic diversification and food security. Nigeria's fish production remains below domestic demand, and the Federal Government has identified aquaculture as a priority sector for investment and development. Olam's research and development institute in Ilorin is positioned to serve as a hub for innovation and training, with the capacity to host specialists from universities and provide them with the practical grounding required to support farmers across the country. The company's expansion into Asaba with a new factory further signals its confidence in the sector's long-term potential.
For the NYSC, the proposed partnership aligns with its broader mandate of fostering national unity and promoting self-reliance among young Nigerians. The scheme has increasingly sought to position Corps Members as agents of development, deploying them to schools, healthcare facilities and agricultural projects across the country. The Olam proposal offers a structured pathway for Corps Members to acquire skills that could translate directly into employment or entrepreneurship, particularly through the proposed access to Bank of Industry support for those who wish to establish their own aquaculture enterprises.
The visit concluded with an agreement to work towards a formal MoU, which will define the specific terms of the partnership, including the number of Corps Members to be deployed, their roles and responsibilities, and the welfare provisions that will govern their participation. Both parties expressed optimism about the collaboration and its potential to create lasting value for Nigerian youth and the agricultural sector. For Olam, the partnership represents an investment in the workforce of the future. For the NYSC, it offers another avenue to fulfil its mission of preparing young Nigerians for productive lives after their service year. As Alayerogun put it, the company is ready to accommodate and feed the Corps Members, and after one year, attach them to farmers across the nation, a commitment that, if fulfilled, could ripple through communities and farms in every state.
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