Nafiu Urges Corps Members to Embrace Entrepreneurship for Financial Independence

The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has urged corps members to embrace entrepreneurship and vocational skills as a pathway to achieving financial independence and reducing dependence on white collar jobs.

Nafiu gave the charge during an interactive session with the 2026 Batch 'B' Stream I corps members deployed to Niger State, who are currently undergoing their orientation course at the NYSC Orientation Camp in Kubwa, Abuja, following the ongoing renovation of the Niger State NYSC camp.

Addressing the corps members, the NYSC Director-General encouraged them to take full advantage of the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, describing entrepreneurship as an essential tool for navigating Nigeria's evolving economic landscape.

He advised the participants not to depend solely on their monthly allowance or the hope of securing paid employment after completing national service, but instead acquire practical vocational and entrepreneurial skills capable of generating sustainable income.

According to Nafiu, the one-year national service presents a unique opportunity for young graduates to develop marketable skills that can position them for self-reliance and long-term economic success.

He also urged the corps members to cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset, create multiple streams of income and aspire to become employers of labour who can contribute meaningfully to national economic growth.

Beyond entrepreneurship, the Director-General encouraged the corps members to build lasting friendships during the orientation course, noting that relationships formed during the service year often develop into valuable professional, business and leadership networks.

He further advised them to remain disciplined throughout the service year, pursue personal development and continuous learning, and channel complaints through established NYSC administrative procedures rather than unofficial platforms, assuring them that legitimate concerns would receive prompt attention.

Nafiu also reminded the corps members to uphold the core values of the NYSC by demonstrating integrity, responsibility and commitment at their various places of primary assignment.

Earlier, the Niger State Coordinator of the NYSC, Mrs Martina Shuaibu Ibrahim, disclosed that 783 corps members comprising 296 males and 487 females had been successfully registered for the orientation course.

She said the orientation programme had progressed smoothly through the collaborative efforts of the NYSC, the Federal Capital Territory Secretariat and camp officials.

Ibrahim commended the corps members for their discipline and active participation in camp activities, describing their conduct as exemplary throughout the exercise.