“Quality is not an act, it is a habit.” – Aristotle
“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking.” – Henry Ford
“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.” – Steve Jobs"
Established in 1973 by the military government of General Yakubu Gowon, the NYSC was designed to foster national cohesion by mobilizing Nigerian university and polytechnic graduates across ethnic, religious, and regional divides into a compulsory one-year service to the nation. Over the decades, it became a revered institution, a rite of passage, and a crucial instrument for bridging Nigeria’s complex socio-political and cultural cleavages.
At one time, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) stood tall not just as a constitutional institution, but as a beacon of hope, unity, and innovation for Nigeria’s youth. Under the leadership of Brigadier-General Shuaibu Ibrahim, NYSC transformed from a perfunctory service into a dynamic national enterprise—one that generated revenue, instilled entrepreneurial skills, and radiated transparent governance. But today, that venerable institution lies tattered. Its glory has given way to sorry, and unless urgent action is taken, what once unified a nation may become another casualty of bureaucratic decay and political interference.
If one were asked to define the golden age of NYSC, one need look no further than the era of Brig-General Shuaibu Ibrahim. Appointed in May 2019, he reorganised internal systems, launched revenue-generating ventures such as broadcasting stations and bakeries, and ensured that these initiatives streamed billions of naira into the Federal Government’s coffers through the Treasury Single Account. Under his leadership, NYSC held itself accountable by regularly publishing balance sheets—a move that was rare among public agencies. He revitalized the Corps’ entrepreneurial training, fostering a climate in which young Nigerians felt empowered and institutions felt renewed. The effect was palpable: public trust in NYSC soared, and it became a source of national pride—an emblem of what the service year could achieve when well-led and well-run.
But then the momentum faltered. Brig-General Mohammed Fada replaced Shuaibu Ibrahim briefly, for around six months. His tenure was marked not by fresh ideas or renewed vigour, but by inertia. Fada achieved nothing of significance, and in an astonishing turn of events, he was summarily removed by then-President Muhammadu Buhari—himself often accused of being disengaged from active governance. For the president to intervene—and dismiss a Director-General of NYSC—suggests depths of dysfunction so profound that even those perceived as distant could no longer ignore them. That swift removal ended any budding progress and left NYSC rudderless once again.
Into that void stepped Brig-General Yusha'u Ahmed, a younger and seemingly energetic figure. He entered office with the promise of reform, but nearly derailed the institution with a reckless misstep. In a televised statement, he accused the governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, of presenting a counterfeit NYSC certificate. Governor Mbah responded by suing. The Federal High Court examined the evidence and ruled decisively against NYSC, finding that the allegations were unfounded. Despite having the opportunity to appeal, the Corps did not pursue it. The DG himself walked back his comments, in a manner widely interpreted as a sign of compromise. There was no public apology—not to the governor, nor to Nigerians—and the institution’s credibility suffered irrevocably. What was meant to be a showdown over integrity became a showcase of frailty.
By March 2025, Brig-General Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu was appointed as the new Director-General. But by then, the DNA of NYSC had already been compromised. A seismic shift in power had occurred: the Ministry of Youth Development, led by Minster Ayodele Olawande, had effectively usurped the institution’s autonomy. A governing board, duly appointed by the President, lies in limbo—never inaugurated. Without that board in place, NYSC is adrift, missing the oversight and strategic guidance it so desperately needs.
The rot runs deeper. A promotion examination for NYSC staff was conducted between May 26 and June 1, 2025. Months have passed, yet the results remain locked away, allegedly because the minister has refused to ratify them. This delay has bred frustration, uncertainty, and disillusionment among thousands of NYSC staff awaiting advancement—stalling careers and weakening morale across the organization.
Meanwhile, the consequences of these power plays extend to the very people NYSC exists to serve—Nigeria’s graduates. Bureaucracy has hobbled the mobilisation of over 500,000 graduates, leaving them stranded on the threshold of national service, staring into unemployment and rusting hopes. Arrears owed to more than 600,000 corps members who served since early 2024 remain unpaid, swelling discontent in communities across the country. The Corps, which once hustled to uphold its mandate of deployment, now struggles to clear the debris of its own dysfunction.
But it is the case of one corps member—Ushie Rita Uguamaye, known as “Raye”—that powerfully illustrates how far things have gone. In March 2025, Raye voiced her frustrations with the administration of President Tinubu, criticizing the cost of living and calling the president out. Short on tolerance for dissent, NYSC accused her of missing a biometric clearance and withheld her discharge certificate as punishment. She was barred from completing her service and denied her certificate—a document key to her future all because of a political quip. The Labour Party condemned this punitive move as authoritarian; Atiku Abubakar defended her right to the certificate; Amnesty International called the action arbitrary and politically motivated. NYSC insists the decision was disciplinary, but the optics are stark: a young woman is penalised, her future jeopardized, because she spoke her mind. This is not discipline; it is intimidation.
NYSC has long been one of the few institutions in Nigeria that transcends ethnic, religious, and regional divides. From rural settlements to bustling cities, its community development service sites are where young people—often strangers to one another—serve, learn, and grow together. It remains one of the most potent instruments of national integration in a country constantly threatened with fragmentation. Yet, under the current regime, NYSC is bereft of direction and credibility. Governance has been hollowed out, functions have been compromised, and its authority has been reduced to a bureaucratic performative.
Earlier this year, a reform committee was inaugurated—heralded by some as a lifeline for NYSC. But without a functional governing board, without transparency in operations, and without the trust of its personnel and beneficiaries, that committee risks being no more than window-dressing. The foundational elements of governance—autonomy, accountability, and oversight—are missing. Without them, no reform can genuinely take root.
I raise this alarm not for the sake of rhetoric, but for the sake of tomorrow’s Nigeria. Having worked closely with NYSC for over eighteen years, I say this with authority: I have never seen it in such a sorry state. Not in its earliest years during military regimes nor in times of political transition. It is truly heart-wrenching to watch the erosion of an institution that once embodied unity and hope.
There must be action—bold, immediate, and unwavering. The governing board must be inaugurated without further delay. NYSC must release the promotion examination results to restore faith among its staff. All disciplinary actions against corps members—especially those whose only offense is speaking their truth—must be reviewed and rectified. Transparency must be restored, with public disclosure of expenditures and achievements. And the entrepreneurial projects that once distinguished NYSC must be revived, to empower corps members and boost the institution’s revenue-generating capacities.
To lose NYSC now would be to undermine one of the last vestiges of national cohesion. That would be a calamity Nigeria cannot afford. The Corps is not a relic of a bygone era. It is a living, breathing institution with the potential to shape 21st-century Nigeria—if only we rescue it.
So let this be a turning point. Let it not be said by future generations that no one spoke up. The NYSC needs its glory back—not for nostalgia, but for necessity. There is still time to reverse this decline, to reinvigorate this cornerstone of national service. But that time is slipping away. We must act now or live with the consequences of our silence.
Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko is the founder of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and was NATIONAL COMMISSIONER OF THE NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA.