Corps members can now be posted to private-sector organisations after the administration of President Bola Tinubu lifted a long-standing ban, a change intended to widen youth employment opportunities.

The directive takes effect from the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation and permits corps members to serve with banks, oil and gas firms and other private companies across key industries.

Ayodele Olawande, the Minister for Youth Development, announced the decision in a memo dated November 18, 2024, which was made available to the public on November 19.

Olawande presented the shift as part of President Tinubu’s wider strategy for reducing Nigeria’s rising youth unemployment, arguing that corps members would gain valuable experience in their fields of study.

Phase One Kicks Off in Abuja and Lagos

According to the minister, the policy begins with the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation, and its first phase will cover Abuja and Lagos, with postings to banks and oil and gas companies among the private employers involved.

In the memo, Olawande called the change a critical step towards resolving Nigeria’s youth unemployment crisis. The previous restriction, which confined corps members to the public sector, he said, prevented them from gaining experience in industries connected to their academic backgrounds.

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“The need to review this policy has become urgent, as it expands opportunities for corps members to serve in fields that align with their studies, thus preparing them better for the labor market,” Olawande said.

Minister Says Public-Sector Rule Stifled Corps Members’ Growth

Olawande added that the revised policy would give corps members the experience required to thrive in their chosen professions. From the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation onwards, postings would be arranged to correspond more closely with what corps members studied, he said, so that the service year becomes a genuine stepping stone for their careers.

The minister also acknowledged that the earlier public-sector-only rule had significantly limited their development, shutting them out of private-sector settings where many of Nigeria’s best job opportunities lie.

Wider Rollout Ahead as Allowance Rise Stalls

The change is expected to have a far-reaching effect on the professional growth of young Nigerians, giving them exposure to a range of industries and a competitive edge in the job market. Abuja and Lagos are only the beginning, with other states to follow in future.

In a related development, the NYSC has addressed the delay in implementing the recently approved increase in corps members’ monthly allowance. Although the Nigerian government approved raising the stipend from N33,000 to N77,000 in line with the new national minimum wage, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed confirmed that funding challenges had delayed disbursement of the higher allowances.