Tinubu Approves 50,000 Extra NYSC Slots to reduce Mobilisation Delays

Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the mobilisation of an additional 50,000 graduates into the National Youth Service Corps in 2026.

The Director-General of the scheme, Olakunle Nafiu, revealed the development on Friday in Abuja during the commissioning of a newly remodelled clinic at the NYSC headquarters to mark his one year in office.

According to Nafiu, the approval was included in the 2026 budget as part of government efforts to reduce the long waiting period many graduates face before they are mobilised for national service.

He said with the additional slots, the scheme plans to mobilise about 418,000 corps members in 2026.
Nafiu explained that the NYSC has grown significantly since it was created in 1973. He said the scheme started with fewer than 12 corps-producing institutions and mobilised only 2,364 corps members in its early days.

Today, he said, Nigeria has more than 400 institutions producing graduates, with around 600,000 graduates every year.

He noted that not every graduate is mobilised immediately because some receive exemption certificates, while professionals such as medical doctors and lawyers often undergo further training before joining the programme.

The NYSC boss also said mobilisation is controlled by an automated system that ensures graduates are deployed gradually

He added that delays sometimes occur when tertiary institutions fail to upload Senate-approved lists on the NYSC portal on time. In some cases, graduates also decline mobilisation after being posted to certain states.

Nafiu stressed that the scheme avoids sending corps members to high-risk areas and usually restricts postings in such states to safer locations like state capitals and major cities.

He assured parents and Nigerians that the management remains committed to protecting corps members across the country.

We are parents ourselves and cannot toy with the lives of other people’s children,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Ayodele Olawande praised Nafiu for what he described as strong leadership in his first year.

He said the renovation of the NYSC clinic shows the management’s commitment to improving the welfare of staff and corps members.

The minister also advised corps members to avoid travelling at night due to security concerns, stressing that the Federal Government is working on additional measures, including insurance coverage, to better protect them.

The NYSC scheme was established in 1973 to promote national unity by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in states outside their places of origin.