By Nkechi Eze
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Dr Maryam Isma’il Keshinro, has declared her readiness to mobilise the support of international organisations to strengthen the operations of the National Youth Service Corps and enable the Scheme to record greater achievements in national development.
Dr Keshinro made this known during a familiarisation visit to the National Directorate Headquarters of the NYSC in Abuja, where she led members of the Ministry’s management team, marking her first official engagement with the Scheme since her appointment.
In an official statement signed by the Director, Information and Public Relations, NYSC, Caroline Embu, the Permanent Secretary underscored the need for increased funding, improved staffing levels and enhanced infrastructural development to ensure more effective and efficient service delivery by the Scheme.
She commended successive management teams of the NYSC for their sustained efforts in mentoring Corps Members in leadership and civic responsibility, noting that the Scheme’s entrepreneurship and skills acquisition programmes had produced many successful Corps entrepreneurs across the country.
Reflecting on her own national service experience in Abia State in 1997, Dr Keshinro lauded the critical role of Corps Members in fostering national unity, integration and peaceful coexistence, describing the NYSC as one of Nigeria’s most enduring and impactful nation-building institutions.
The Permanent Secretary also called for stronger collaboration with key stakeholders and urged greater patronage of NYSC commercial ventures, including its bottled water, bakery and poultry products, as part of efforts to boost internally generated revenue and sustainability.
“I am proud of you for what you are doing. Thank you for working as a family. We are working for Nigeria and I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” she said.
In his remarks, the Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, congratulated Dr Keshinro on her appointment and welcomed her to the Scheme, describing her visit as timely and encouraging.
Brigadier General Nafiu disclosed that the NYSC currently mobilises about 400,000 Corps Members annually, with projections indicating an increase to about 650,000 Corps Members from Nigerian Corps Producing Institutions alone from 2026. He noted that the growing numbers underscored the need for sustained government support and innovative partnerships to strengthen the Scheme’s capacity.
He further assured the Permanent Secretary of the Management’s commitment to prioritising the security, welfare and overall wellbeing of both Corps Members and staff, stressing that the NYSC remains focused on fulfilling its mandate of youth development and national integration.
The visit, according to the NYSC leadership, marked the beginning of closer collaboration between the Ministry of Youth Development and the Scheme in advancing youth empowerment and national cohesion.
