The Federal Government has lifted the ban that previously restricted National Youth Service Corps members from being posted to the private sector, allowing them to now serve in organizations such as banks and oil and gas companies.
A memo issued by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, on November 18, 2024, announced that the new policy would take effect with the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation exercise.
The previous policy, implemented during the tenure of former Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Bolaji Abdullahi, was aimed at discouraging private companies from exploiting corps members as cheap labor, while promoting capacity building within the public sector.
Under that policy, corps members were limited to assignments in four sectors: education, agriculture, health, and infrastructure.
Minister Olawande explained that the policy shift aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to address rising youth unemployment.
“This policy is part of the President’s strategy to open up more opportunities for our young people and help them gain valuable skills that are in line with their academic background,” he stated.
The new directive will initially be implemented in Lagos and Abuja, with the aim of expanding opportunities for corps members to gain relevant work experience.
“The previous policy hampered corps members from gaining the kind of experience that would truly prepare them for the job market,” Olawande added.
In the memo, Olawande emphasized the need to align corps members’ postings with their course of study, stating: “There is an urgent need to review this policy to expand opportunities for corps members to serve in positions that are relevant to their areas of expertise.”
Olawande concluded, “The now revoked policy greatly hampered the opportunity for corps members to gather practical experience that would help them thrive in the workforce.”
