A member of the House of Representatives, Philip Agbese, has urged President Bola Tinubu to suspend the Federal Government’s proposed reforms to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), warning that the changes could undermine the scheme’s core mandate of promoting national unity.
Agbese made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, July 5, 2026, amid growing public debate over the government’s plan to overhaul the 53-year-old scheme.
The proposals have been described as the first comprehensive review of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.
The proposed reforms include restructuring the orientation camp into three phases, introducing 11 specialised career streams for corps members, expanding skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes, replacing the traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire attire, appointing a civilian Director-General and aligning corps members’ deployment more closely with their academic qualifications and career paths.
Agbese said while reforms are necessary to keep public institutions relevant, any changes to the NYSC should not weaken its founding objectives.
“A national institution that has played a critical role in fostering national unity should not be restructured in a manner that compromises its founding ideals.”
He argued that the NYSC has, over the years, contributed significantly to education, healthcare, election duties, emergency response and community development, while also exposing young Nigerians to cultures outside their regions of origin.
Agbese expressed concern that placing greater emphasis on vocational training could diminish the scheme’s nation-building role.
“Reducing NYSC to a skill acquisition training centre is not healthy for our national life.”
He also defended the military leadership structure of the scheme, saying it has helped instil discipline, patriotism, national consciousness and preparedness among corps members over the years.
The lawmaker called on Tinubu to suspend the implementation of the proposed reforms and constitute a broad-based review committee comprising security experts, members of the National Assembly, former NYSC officials, youth organisations and other relevant stakeholders to examine the proposals before any final decision is taken.
The NYSC was established on May 22, 1973, in the aftermath of the Nigerian Civil War to promote national unity and integration by deploying graduates to states outside their regions of origin for one year of national service.
As of Monday, July 6, 2026, the Federal Government had not announced any decision to suspend the proposed reforms or respond officially to Agbese’s request.