The Federal Government has announced that the iconic khaki uniform worn by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will be replaced with locally produced Adire fabric as part of a sweeping reform of the scheme aimed at promoting indigenous industries and repositioning the programme for greater national impact.
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, disclosed the development on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, explaining that the decision forms part of the comprehensive reforms recently approved for the NYSC by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
According to the minister, the adoption of Adire is intended to support Nigeria’s textile industry by ensuring that government spending remains within the local economy.
“It is Adire. Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industries. Let’s put our money back into the country,” Olawande said.
The replacement of the traditional khaki uniform is one of several reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council to modernise the 53-year-old scheme. Other changes include extending the orientation camp programme from three weeks to six weeks, introducing skills-based deployments aligned with corps members’ academic backgrounds, strengthening entrepreneurship and digital skills training, improving camp standards, and replacing the traditional Passing Out Parade with a graduation ceremony.
The minister also said the government plans to deploy corps members based on their areas of specialisation to improve the effectiveness of their primary assignments. Under the proposed framework, graduates with education-related qualifications, for example, would be posted to schools rather than being assigned arbitrarily.
On security, Olawande explained that the government is considering deploying prospective corps members to regions where they studied or are familiar with the environment, particularly in areas facing security challenges. He said the measure is expected to ease concerns among parents and prospective corps members while making the deployment process more practical.
The minister further dismissed reports suggesting that the military would be removed from the NYSC, clarifying that while the scheme is expected to adopt civilian operational leadership under the reforms, the military will continue to provide security support for corps members.
The reforms, which require amendments to the NYSC Act before full implementation, represent the most comprehensive overhaul of the scheme since its establishment in 1973, with the government saying the changes are designed to make the programme more relevant, skills-driven and responsive to Nigeria’s current development needs.
