NYSC

By Usman M. Shehu

One of the most unsettling realities for any corps member post-NYSC is the harshness of the Nigerian labour market. I know this firsthand—we had our Passing Out Parade (POP) on 18th December 2025. 

Finishing NYSC brings not just doubt, but real anxiety and fear: fear of losing the monthly allowance, and the daunting task of distributing your curriculum vitae (CV)—via email or in person—to companies, agencies, and contacts.

The dynamics of the job market have shifted dramatically. It’s no longer just about what you know (your skill set), but increasingly about who you know (your connections). This is driven in part by the sheer volume of graduates entering the market each year. 

Take my field, geology, for example: it’s not one of the most competitive courses, yet about 80 students graduated from my class alone, with degrees ranging from first class to second class (upper and lower), and third class. This pattern repeats across faculties, from the sciences and engineering to the humanities. When you do the math, thousands of graduates flood the market annually, far exceeding the combined absorption capacity of the public and private sectors.

This oversupply is a major reason why many graduates and even their guardians rely on connections to secure jobs. It’s an affront to the merit-based ideals of our educational system and a key factor behind the public sector’s declining efficiency. When nepotism and connections trump competence, institutions suffer. The civil service is already crumbling under this weight, as we see today. Fixing it remains a hot topic in public discourse, but the goal should be clear: employment, public or private, must prioritise what you know over who you know.

Another major challenge is the age barrier. Since 2009, the NYSC certificate prominently displays your date of birth to prevent age falsification. This makes it harder for anyone over 28, whether due to late entry to university or academic delays, to secure interviews or even apply. Most job portals and advertisements specify strict requirements: age limits, degree class, skills, and years of experience. Often, if you’re above the age threshold, you can’t even access the application portal. These restrictions hit hardest in white collar jobs.

The Way Forward: Despite these systemic hurdles, individual agency matters. To move forward, we must be enterprising and proactive: work hard, strategically build in-demand skills (like digital marketing, data analysis, coding, or entrepreneurship), and stay humble while relentlessly pursuing opportunities, whether through networking, job hunting, or starting your own business.

That said, this moment isn’t entirely bleak. We’re excited about the transition and earning our certificates. It opens doors to jobs that require completion of the NYSC. And if we take these steps seriously, upskilling, staying resilient, and thinking creatively, we won’t just be employable; we’ll become highly sought-after prospects.

Happy POP to my fellow ex-corps members, Batch C Stream 2 2025! Let’s step into this next chapter ready. For by failing to plan, we are planning to fail.

Usman M. Shehu wrote from Kano via usmanmujtabashehu@gmail.com.

By Usman M. Shehu

One of the most unsettling thoughts for any corper is the harsh reality of the Nigerian labour market. I know this firsthand—I’m in Batch C Stream 2, due for my Passing Out Parade (POP) on 18th December 2025. Finishing service brings not just doubt, but real anxiety and fear: fear of losing the monthly allowance (allowee), and the daunting task of distributing your curriculum vitae (CV)—via email or in person—to companies, agencies, and contacts.

The dynamics of the job market have shifted dramatically. It’s no longer just about what you know (your skill set), but increasingly about who you know (your connections). This is driven in part by the sheer volume of graduates entering the market each year. Take my field, geology, for example: it’s not one of the most competitive courses, yet about 80 students graduated in my class alone, with degrees ranging from first class and second class upper (2:1) to second class lower and third class. This pattern repeats across faculties from sciences and engineering to humanities. When you do the math, thousands of graduates flood the market annually, far exceeding the combined absorption capacity of the public and private sectors.

This oversupply is a major reason why many graduates and even their guardians rely on connections to secure jobs. It’s an affront to the merit-based ideals of our educational system and a key factor behind the declining efficiency in the public sector. When nepotism and connections trump competence, institutions suffer. The civil service is already crumbling under this weight, as we see today. Fixing it remains a hot topic in public discourse, but the goal should be clear: employment public or private must prioritise what you know over who you know.

Another major challenge is the age barrier. Since 2009, the NYSC certificate prominently displays your date of birth to prevent age falsification. This makes it harder for anyone over 28 years whether due to late entry into university or academic delays to get interviews or even apply. Most job portals and advertisements specify strict requirements: age limits, degree class, skills, and years of experience. Often, if you’re above the age threshold, you can’t even access the application portal. These restrictions hit hardest in white collar jobs.

The Way Forward: Despite these systemic hurdles, individual agency matters. To move forward, we must be enterprising and proactive: work hard, strategically build in-demand skills (like digital marketing, data analysis, coding, or entrepreneurship), and stay humble while relentlessly pursuing opportunities whether through networking, job hunting, or starting your own business.

That said, this moment isn’t entirely bleak. We’re excited about the transition and earning our certificates. It opens doors to jobs that require NYSC completion. And if we take these steps seriously upskilling, staying resilient, and thinking creatively we won’t just be employable; we’ll become highly sought-after prospects.Happy POP to my fellow corpers, Batch C Stream 2 2025! Let’s step into this next chapter ready. For by failing to plan, we are planning to fail.

Usman M. Shehu writes from Kano State, Nigeria.

By Ishaka Mohammed

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has withdrawn Oyaje Daniel from his Place of Primary Assignment (PPA) in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State and redeployed him to the NYSC state headquarters for closer monitoring. This came after his threat on social media to sleep with his female secondary school students.

As part of the sanctions, Daniel has been denied access to the free accommodation at the headquarters despite being required to report there daily for the remainder of his service year.

The Daily Reality earlier reported that the affected Corps member serving at Judeen International School in Kaduna had threatened to sleep with his female secondary school students, whom he considered more voluptuous than undergraduates. 

According to John Adesogan, who appears to have been Daniel’s schoolmate, the Corps member was summoned by the NYSC Disciplinary Committee at the state headquarters after his comment attracted public outcry.

John Adesogan said, “The Alumni President of our college, Comr. Philip Ayuba Bobai and I went with Daniel to the NYSC Headquarters to further engage with the officials handling the matter.” 

He further revealed that the NYSC had constituted an investigation team to visit Daniel’s former PPA to determine whether any other form of misconduct had occurred. This is in addition to NYSC’s efforts to track other Corps members who made comments similar to Daniel’s on the same post.

Daniel has taken to social media to express remorse. Reacting to a comment from one Sabastine Ezekiel, who urged him to “be strong”, Daniel wrote, “Thank you, my leader. I’m sorry for disappointing your expectations. I was careless with my comment, thinking I was catching ‘cruise’. But I have learned my lesson. All I want is another chance to live up to my name and trust.”

Adesogan urged fellow Nigerians to use social media responsibly, maintain discipline, and create a safer, more decent online environment.

By Ishaka Mohammed

A man serving under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has come under fire for publicly threatening to sleep with his female secondary school students, whom he considered voluptuous.

According to a Nigerian Army officer and Facebook user, Kolawole Oludare Stephen, the Corps member, Oyaje Daniel (KD/25A/0494), currently serves at Judeen International School, Mando, Igabi Local Government Area, Kaduna State. The officer tagged the NYSC in a Facebook post for urgent action.

Another Facebook user, Ọluchi Eze, who tagged the NYSC in a post, mentioned Oyaje Daniel as a Corps member in a secondary school in Kaduna State.

Reacting to Ọluchi Ezeʼs post, the Corps member, with the Facebook name Comr Oyaje Daniel, confirmed his local government of national service and tendered an apology, but expressed shock at people’s judgment of his character.  “I am shocked by the news surrounding my character, and I want to assure everyone that I am not a rapist or a perpetrator of any form of abuse,” part of the post reads.

While some Facebook users considered him remorseful and deserving of forgiveness, others called for penalties. 

The Daily Reality gathered that Comr Oyaje Daniel had earlier commented on a Facebook post in which he had threatened to sleep with any SSS 3 female students who failed to “coordinate” themselves, stressing how their bodies were more voluptuous than those of 400 level undergraduates.

At the time of filing this report, the National Youth Service Corps has yet to comment on the matter.

By Rabi Ummi Umar

The 2025 Batch C1 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) registration for prospective corps members was a real eye-opener for me. I finally understood why my friends and family had urged me to take a breather after my final exams. I was itching to do something—anything—after completing my university studies.

As humans, we are wired to anticipate the next phase, and for me, that next thing was NYSC. Yet I wrestled with how to keep myself busy before the time came.

As someone who is always on the go, I began to feel the weight of post-school reality just a few days after returning home. There was suddenly little or nothing to occupy me. Then came the thought of continuing my internship with Image Merchant Promotion Limited (IMPR), a firm where I had already gained considerable experience.

That decision helped tremendously in keeping me engaged until NYSC registration was announced. There were mixed emotions as I waited for the process to begin—excitement, nervousness, and a bit of anxiety all at once.

Finally, when the registration portal opened, I felt a huge weight lift off my shoulders. I whispered to myself, “Alhamdulillah, I’ve finally got something to do. The next phase is here.”

On the scheduled day, Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, I set my alarm for midnight, determined to register as soon as possible. However, the portal had its own plans. It wasn’t yet open for Batch C, so I had to wait until 4:00 a.m. to try again. Luckily, it worked—I put in my email and waited… and waited… and waited some more.

Restlessness set in. I thought my email had issues. I created a new Yahoo account, called friends and co-workers for help, and tried again and again. Nothing worked, even by 6 a.m. Eventually, I decided to head to the cybercafé.

Just as I left the house around 8 a.m., an email notification popped up—it was the long-awaited link to the registration portal. Overwhelmed with relief, I whispered “Alhamdulillah” and screamed in excitement without realising it.

When I arrived at the café, the network started misbehaving. The portal kept crashing and refreshing. Still, I managed to register and fill out the manual form provided. Everything necessary was done, and I finally left around 11 a.m. Reflecting on the experience, I thought, “What a stressful but fulfilling process.”

I was among the fortunate ones. Many of my friends and schoolmates faced serious challenges—some never received their registration links, while others couldn’t access the portal at all. Our group chat was flooded with frustration. By the second day, the site had begun to crash, and by the third, it was completely down.

Over a thousand prospective corps members were unable to register, a far cry from the seamless experience promised. The ordeal was overwhelming, and I couldn’t help but empathise with those who weren’t as lucky, wondering how they coped with the stress and disappointment.

The situation grew so dire that NYSC had to extend the registration deadline by two days—from Sunday, November 9th, to Tuesday, November 11th, midnight. Yet, problems persisted. The payment system for call-up numbers malfunctioned, leaving many stranded. While the extension was a relief, it also exposed the urgent need for improved infrastructure and coordination.

NYSC must do better. The registration process should be seamless, not frustrating. If this national scheme must endure, it must also evolve. People shouldn’t have to suffer this much—just to get started.

Rabi Ummi Umar is an intern at Image Merchant Promotion Limited (IMPR). She can be reached via: rabiumar058@gmail.com.

By Anwar Usman

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has extended the online registration for the 2025 Batch C prospective corps members by 48 hours, as a result of technical glitches experienced during the registration process.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by Director of Information and Public Relations of NYSC, Caroline Embu, saying the registration, earlier scheduled to close on November 9, will now end at midnight on Tuesday, November 11.

“The longer than usual time it is taking some PCMs to complete the registration is as a result of network issues.

“While Management regrets the inconvenience this might have caused our valued prospective corp members, we wish to assure all that we are working round the clock to resolve the issues and ensure they enjoy seamless registration,” she stated.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Bauchi State Police Command has begun probing the sudden death of a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Dambam Local Government Area of the state.

The deceased, identified as 28-year-old Nwokedi Chukwuebuka, was reportedly found unconscious in the early hours of Sunday in an apartment provided for corps members in the community.

The accommodation was arranged by his colleagues and the Corps Liaison Officer (CLO).

Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Ahmed Waziri, confirmed the incident during a telephone interview on Monday.

He said the Commissioner of Police had ordered a preliminary investigation into the matter.

“The command received a complaint of sudden and natural death on August 10, 2025, at about 9:20am.

“The Dambam LGA Corps Liaison Officer came to the Dambam Divisional Police Headquarters and reported that on the same date at about 8:30am, all corps members who were Christians serving in the LGA were preparing for Sunday church services when they noticed that Nwokedi Chukwuebuka, with state code number BA/25A/2069, did not wake up,” Waziri stated.

According to him, “The CLO went to wake him up but discovered that he was not breathing. He reported the matter to the police station. The CP, Sani Aliu, directed the DPO to visit the scene.

“The corps member was taken to the hospital, where a medical doctor certified him dead, as enshrined in international best practices. The body was later deposited at the Federal Medical Centre, Azare, mortuary.”

Waziri further noted that the CP had instructed a thorough preliminary investigation, which is still in progress.

A similar case occurred in Adamawa State in 2023 when a corps member named Samuel reportedly slumped and died while watching a football match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and South Africa’s Bafana Bafana.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has called on 2025 Batch ‘A’ Stream II corps members to use their service year to create meaningful impact in their host communities. The appeal was made during the swearing-in ceremony of newly deployed corps members across the nation.

The Board Secretary noted that the one-year NYSC programme offers a unique opportunity for young graduates to foster national unity and contribute to community development.

“I encourage you to make a difference through projects that improve lives and leave lasting legacies. Exceptional corps members will be recognized and honored for their dedication and innovation,” he stated.

He also assured corps members of their safety, noting that the government is collaborating with security agencies to ensure their protection throughout the service year.

Additionally, he encouraged them to embrace the orientation programme and serve with patriotism, while highlighting opportunities for outstanding corps members to work with the Board upon request.

By Usman Mujtaba

When Brigadier General O.O. Nafiu, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), announced that corps members would receive their monthly allowance of ₦77,000 starting from March 2025, they thought it was business as usual. This is because they had been receiving similar announcements since last year. 

Moreover, the minister also gave multiple assurances recently when he was interviewed on Arise Television, Channels, and even on the MicOn Podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, a host of Channels Television’s program Politics Tonight.Perhaps corps members are tired of the DG’s words; they only want action. As one Hausa adage goes, “An gaji da sa ba’a ga kaho ba.”

Unknown to them, this time is different, whether because it comes from the new DG or that the bureaucratic procedure was ripe, I couldn’t tell. But on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, corps members were thrilled to start receiving the ₦77,000 as their allowance, which they call “Allawee.” The jubilation was palpable across all regions of the country. Social media was full of jokes about the development, with one post reading, “NYSC DG for President 2027.” See how the allawee makes people go crazy

After the alert, what’s next? Minimum wage increment and inflation are familiar bedfellows; in fact, many economic pundits are against it, arguing that it won’t increase the value of products sold or services rendered. I was shocked when one of my friends told me that a corps member is tasked with responsibilities at home when they start serving. After a fixed amount, they will send monthly, so many requests will follow from such a home, probably from siblings.

The corps member who serves and the ghost corps member (who does the thumbprint) when the month ends are Tweedledee and Tweedledum in terms of expenses. Here’s why: while the serving corps member will have to budget for foodstuffs and transport, the ghost corps member plans for transport mainly from their hometown in a different state and the amount they’ll probably give to the PPA and/or the secretariat, given the agency’s corruption, nepotism, and favoritism. As such, the expenses become balanced. It’s better for a corps member to calmly settle at their place of primary assignment (PPA) and serve their fatherland.

Is it decisive to reform NYSC at this juncture? As the saying goes, “Eat when the food is ready. Speak when the time is right”? I recently came across an article, “Time to Reform NYSC,” in Daily Trust on April 23, 2025, in which Babakura Aninigi suggests some ways forward for the initiative. Though holistic, his take is realistic. 

Aningi wrote, and I quote, “The federal government should consider restructuring the scheme… to reflect current realities.” This is apt because many believe that all is well with the adoption of a minimum wage. It’s not. Corps members will undoubtedly adjust, but only in the short term because inflation and additional expectations are inevitable. The call for reform of policy and strategy is the appeal for the long term.

The bustle and energy of graduates are palpable in towns whenever the NYSC opens its portal for registration. The energy will be doubled now that every graduate moves with additional zeal to enjoy the new approved allowance.

I discussed with one of my friends the possible addition of allowance from his PPA (a private school in Kano). I told him that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for him to get that addition with his ₦77,000.

He informed me they originally gave ₦5,000. Imagine! It’s indeed another challenge many corps members will face. Some will even withdraw what they usually give. As one of my friends jokingly observed, a corps member’s allowance is more than the salary of some private school headmaster.

₦77,000 is a commendable development, but it shouldn’t douse the energy and kill the idea of reforming the NYSC scheme.

Usman Mujtaba wrote via usmanmujtabashehu@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has advocated for a more impactful one-year National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program rather than extending it to two years.

He stated the need for corps members to be equipped with job creation skills and entrepreneurial training during their service year.

Olawande made the remarks on Monday in Abuja during the 2025 Annual Management Conference of the NYSC.

His statement comes after the Minister of Education, Olatunji Alausa, proposed extending the NYSC duration to two years to expand skill acquisition programs.

The Youth Minister, however, stressed that the focus should be on a National Internship Scheme to help corps members gain valuable skills for employment or entrepreneurship.

He criticized the current system where many corps members complete their service without meaningful personal or societal impact.

“If corps members receive proper training and certifications, they will leave service more empowered rather than just participating in parades,” Olawande said.

He called for reforms to make the NYSC more beneficial to graduates and the nation. Meanwhile, NYSC Director-General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu stated that this year’s conference aimed to reposition the scheme to meet modern demands.

The theme, “Transforming the NYSC Scheme to Meet the Yearnings of Contemporary Nigerian Graduates and Society,” reflects the need for innovation in youth service.