Nigeria TV Info 

FEC Cancels NYSC Passing-Out Parade, Extends Orientation Camp to Six Weeks

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a sweeping reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), introducing major changes aimed at transforming the scheme into a more skills-driven and youth-focused national programme. The decisions were approved during a council meeting chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Abuja.

Among the key reforms is the replacement of the traditional Passing-Out Parade (POP) with a new graduation ceremony designed to mark the completion of national service. The government also approved an extension of the orientation camp from the current three weeks to six weeks, allowing more time for intensive training in leadership, entrepreneurship, digital skills and vocational development.

The reform package further introduces 11 specialised service streams aligned with graduates' academic backgrounds and career interests. It also provides for a technology-driven mobilisation process, risk-sensitive deployment of corps members, improved camp facilities, and a redesigned NYSC uniform. Additionally, the scheme will now be headed by a civilian Director-General, while the military will continue to provide security support at orientation camps and during service.

The Federal Government said the reforms are intended to modernise the 53-year-old scheme, improve employability among Nigerian graduates, strengthen national unity, and better align the NYSC with the country's economic development goals. The Attorney-General of the Federation has been directed to amend the NYSC Act to provide legal backing for the approved changes before implementation.