By Joy Onu
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have agreed to deepen their collaboration to improve corps mobilisation, strengthen youth development initiatives and support national integration.
The commitment was made on Thursday in Abuja when the National Executive Council of NANS paid a courtesy visit to the Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, at the Scheme’s National Directorate Headquarters.
Speaking during the meeting, Nafiu described NANS as a longstanding partner of the Scheme and assured the association that the NYSC would continue to work closely with it on initiatives that promote the interests of Nigerian students and prospective corps members.
According to a statement issued by the NYSC Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the Director-General said the Scheme had enjoyed the support of NANS since its establishment and would remain open to strategic collaboration whenever the need arises.
He explained that the NYSC’s core mandate is to promote national unity and integration, noting that the Scheme relies significantly on Nigerian students because every undergraduate is a potential corps member.
“The primary objective of the NYSC is to foster national unity and integration,” Nafiu said, adding that the Scheme could not have effectively carried out its mandate without the support and cooperation of students across the country’s tertiary institutions.
The Director-General also reaffirmed the Scheme’s commitment to strengthening its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing it as a key component of the Federal Government’s efforts to reduce unemployment and encourage self-reliance among young Nigerians.
He urged the student body to continue playing an active role in shaping national development by making meaningful contributions to the country’s democratic process and public policy.
Nafiu further said that NANS would be involved in the pre-mobilisation process and other activities leading to the orientation course, saying the association’s close relationship with students across tertiary institutions places it in a strategic position to support the NYSC in ensuring a smoother mobilisation process.
He also assured the delegation that ongoing reforms within the Scheme, particularly its digital transformation initiatives, would enhance operational efficiency and improve service delivery.
Earlier, NANS Senate President, Comrade Moses Ikeabuchi, said the visit was aimed at familiarising the association’s leadership with the new Director-General while exploring areas of mutual cooperation, especially in corps mobilisation.
He pledged the continued support of the students’ body for the NYSC, assuring that NANS would remain a constructive partner on issues affecting Nigerian students and prospective corps members.
Also speaking, the National Vice President of NANS, Comrade Sadique Zango, commended the NYSC for its commitment to the welfare and accommodation of corps members.
Zango appealed for stronger engagement between the Scheme and students before mobilisation, saying closer collaboration would help ensure a more seamless orientation and national service experience for prospective corps members.
