FG Expands NYSC Mobilisation With 50,000 Extra Corps Members for 2026

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the mobilisation of an additional 50,000 graduates for the 2026 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme, in a move aimed at reducing the backlog of graduates awaiting national service.

The development was disclosed by the NYSC Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, during the commissioning of a remodelled clinic at the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

According to Nafiu, the approval forms part of the Federal Government’s efforts to address the growing number of Nigerian graduates waiting to be mobilised for the mandatory one-year national service. He explained that the additional slots were captured in the 2026 budget to ease the long waiting period experienced by many prospective corps members.

“With the new approval, the scheme plans to mobilise about 418,000 corps members in 2026,” Nafiu said, noting that the expansion reflects the increasing number of tertiary institutions and graduates across the country.

He explained that when the NYSC scheme began in 1973, fewer than a dozen institutions produced just over 2,000 corps members annually. However, the number has grown significantly, with more than 400 institutions now producing roughly 600,000 graduates every year.

The NYSC boss also highlighted factors responsible for mobilisation delays, including late submission of Senate-approved results by tertiary institutions and instances where some graduates decline mobilisation after being posted to certain states.

Nafiu assured that the scheme remains committed to the safety and welfare of corps members, noting that postings to high-risk areas are avoided, while deployments to sensitive states are restricted to major cities and state capitals.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, commended the NYSC leadership for prioritising the welfare of staff and corps members, adding that the Federal Government is also exploring additional safety measures, including insurance coverage for participants in the scheme.

The NYSC programme, established in 1973, was designed to promote national unity and integration by deploying Nigerian graduates to serve in states other than their states of origin