The Federal Government has lifted the ban restricting the posting of members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to the public sector, allowing for corpers to now be posted to private sector organisations, including banks and oil and gas companies.
According to a memo sent by Minister for Youth Development Ayodele Olawande on November 18, 2024, the new policy directive would take effect with the start of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ orientation exercise.
The previous policy, implemented during the tenure of former Minister for Youth and Sports Development Bolaji Abdullahi, aimed at discouraging private companies from exploiting cheap labour while promoting public sector capacity building and limited corps members to only four sectors of the economy: education, agriculture, health care, and infrastructure.
Olawande stated that the new policy is consistent with President Bola Tinubu’s strategy of combating rising youth unemployment by ensuring that government agencies align with his administration’s vision and that the directive will initially be implemented in Lagos and Abuja.
He went on to say that the new policy will also allow corporations to obtain useful experience in their chosen fields of study, whereas the previous approach prevented Nigerian youngsters from gaining experiences that would prepare them for the job market.
The memo read in parts, “There is an urgent need to review this policy to expand the opportunity and access for corps members to serve in places that are relevant to their areas of study. Without prejudice to the need to constantly review per prevailing realities, I now direct as follows: Lifting of all restrictions on postings.
“Posting of corps members to, as much as practicable, be in line with their course of study. Posting of corps members to select banks and other private sector organisations, including those operating in oil and gas, to commence with Abuja and Lagos.
“The directive contained herein will take effect from the date of commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C Orientation Course and applies in relation to any matter relating to the posting and distribution of corps members to Places of Primary Assignment.
“The now-revoked policy has greatly hampered experience gathering that would effectively prepare them for the job market.”
