Trust Fund Pledges To Transform NYSC Into Innovation Hub For Young Graduates

The National Assembly has reaffirmed its commitment to repositioning the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) into a centre for innovation, wealth creation and youth empowerment for Nigerian graduates.

According to Ireporter Online, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Youth Development, Martin Esin, made this known during an oversight visit to the NYSC Orientation Camp in Port Harcourt, where he explained that lawmakers are pushing reforms aimed at strengthening the scheme’s impact on national development.

Esin disclosed that the 10th National Assembly has already passed the NYSC Trust Fund Bill into law, noting that it is currently awaiting presidential assent. He explained that once signed, the legislation will boost funding for the scheme, improve infrastructure, enhance operational capacity, and expand skill acquisition and retraining opportunities for corps members.

He added that the proposed fund would also support access to post-service capital for young graduates, describing it as a landmark reform that would transform the NYSC from a traditional service programme into a platform for entrepreneurship, enterprise development and economic empowerment.

The lawmaker further stressed that the NYSC has, for over five decades, played a crucial role in fostering national unity by bridging ethnic, religious and regional divides, while commending the scheme’s management for its dedication to training and mobilising corps members despite operational challenges.

He also praised the youths undergoing orientation, describing them as key stakeholders in Nigeria’s future at a time of economic reforms and technological advancement, adding that youth development remains a core priority of the 10th House of Representatives.

Esin further recalled that the National Assembly recently approved an upward review of corps members’ monthly allowance to ₦77,000, aligning with the national minimum wage framework, saying the adjustment is aimed at improving morale and encouraging greater commitment to national service.

He also noted that corps members continue to play an important role in Nigeria’s democratic process, particularly through their involvement with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during elections, including preparations for the 2027 general polls.

Overall, lawmakers maintained that the NYSC Trust Fund, when eventually assented to by the President, would mark one of the most significant transformations in the history of the scheme, repositioning it as a driver of innovation, skills development and youth-led economic growth.