NYSC, NANS Strengthen Partnership on Corps Mobilisation, Youth Development

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have pledged to deepen collaboration aimed at improving corps mobilisation, youth empowerment and national development.

Director General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, gave the assurance when the National Executive Council of NANS paid him a courtesy visit at the Scheme's National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.

Nafiu said NANS had remained a dependable partner of the NYSC since the Scheme's establishment, adding that the organisation would continue to welcome strategic collaboration with the students' body in advancing its mandate.

He noted that the core objective of the NYSC is to promote national unity and integration, stressing that the Scheme's success over the years has been made possible with the support of Nigerian students, who are the primary beneficiaries of the programme.

The Director-General said the NYSC would continue to strengthen its Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme in line with the Federal Government's efforts to address youth unemployment and encourage self-reliance among graduates.

He also urged NANS to remain actively involved in national discourse by contributing meaningfully to policies that would sustain Nigeria's democratic process.

According to him, the association would be more actively engaged in the pre-mobilisation process and other activities leading to the orientation course, noting that its close relationship with students across tertiary institutions places it in a strategic position to support the mobilisation process.

Nafiu further assured the students' body that the ongoing reforms within the NYSC, particularly its digital transformation initiatives, would enhance operational efficiency and improve service delivery.

Earlier, NANS Senate President, Comrade Moses Ikeabuchi, said the visit was aimed at identifying areas of collaboration with the new NYSC leadership, especially in corps mobilisation, for the benefit of both organisations.

He reaffirmed the association's commitment to supporting the Scheme and pledged that NANS would continue to play a constructive role on issues affecting Nigerian students and prospective corps members.

Also speaking, the National Vice President of NANS, Comrade Sadique Zango, commended the NYSC for its efforts in improving the welfare and accommodation of corps members. He called for stronger engagement between the Scheme and students before mobilisation to ensure a smoother orientation and national service experience.