NYSC: Adire to replace khaki uniform as scheme shifts to civilian mobilisation

The Federal Government has confirmed that the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) will replace its traditional khaki uniform with Adire fabric as part of sweeping reforms designed to reposition the scheme and promote local manufacturing.

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed this on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he explained that the new uniform would be produced locally to ensure government spending supports Nigeria’s textile industry and economy.

The announcement comes days after the Federal Executive Council (FEC), on June 29, approved a comprehensive overhaul of the NYSC, extending the orientation camp programme from three weeks to six weeks and replacing the traditional Passing Out Parade with a graduation ceremony as part of the first holistic reform of the scheme in its 53-year history.

What they are saying

Speaking on the new uniform, Olawande said the government deliberately chose Adire because it is produced in Nigeria and aligns with the administration’s drive to promote local industries.

• “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,” he said.

The minister also disclosed that corps members would increasingly be deployed according to their academic qualifications and professional competencies rather than the current practice of assigning postings without regard to their areas of specialisation.

According to him, graduates trained as teachers would be posted to schools after completing the orientation programme based on the career pathways established during camp.

On security, Olawande said the government is considering posting prospective corps members to regions where they studied or are already familiar with the environment, particularly in areas facing security challenges, to reduce safety concerns while ensuring the scheme remains impactful.

He also dismissed reports suggesting the military would be removed from the NYSC, clarifying that the reforms only shift the scheme from military-style mobilisation to civilian mobilisation.

• “We are not taking the military out of NYSC. It is just a misconception… Military is not taken away, there is no how you can take the military away. It is just saying that we are moving away from military mobilisation to civilian mobilisation,” he said.

Get up to speed

Under the approved reforms, the NYSC orientation programme will be extended from three weeks to six weeks, with greater emphasis on leadership development, entrepreneurship, digital skills and specialised career pathways aimed at improving corps members’ employability and entrepreneurial capacity.

• The traditional Passing Out Parade will be replaced with a graduation ceremony, while corps members will receive redesigned uniforms intended to reflect professionalism and national pride.
• The reforms also introduce a technology-driven call-up process to improve mobilisation, a risk-sensitive deployment system to strengthen corps members’ safety, skills-based primary assignments aligned with participants’ qualifications, a civilian-led governance structure supported by the military for security, and a national grading system for orientation camps.

To enable implementation, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development have been directed to amend the NYSC Act and its regulations to provide the necessary legal framework.

What you should know

The latest reforms stem from the work of a committee inaugurated in September 2025 to undertake the first comprehensive review of the National Youth Service Corps since it was established in 1973.

• The committee reviewed the scheme’s legal and operational framework, funding model, monitoring mechanisms and stakeholder recommendations to make the programme more responsive to Nigeria’s changing economic and social realities.
• During the committee’s inauguration, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, proposed the creation of specialised Teachers’ Corps and Medical Corps to improve education and healthcare delivery in underserved rural communities.

The review was prompted by growing concerns over corps members’ security, inadequate infrastructure and the need to equip young graduates with practical skills relevant to today’s economy.