-Deborah Akinyosoye
The Federal Government has lifted the ban restricting the posting of members of the National Youth Service Corps to the public sector, allowing for corpers to now be posted to private sector organisations, including banks and oil and gas companies.
According to a memo issued by the Minister for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, dated November 18, 2024, the new policy directive will take effect with the commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Orientation exercise.
The previous policy implemented during the tenure of former Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Bolaji Abdullahi, aimed at discouraging private companies from exploiting cheap labour while promoting public sector capacity building, restricted corps members to only four sectors of the economy, including education, agriculture, health, and infrastructure.
Olawande said the new policy follows President Bola Tinubu’s strategy to combat rising youth unemployment by ensuring that government agencies align with the vision of his administration, adding that the directive will initially take effect in Lagos and Abuja.
He added that the new policy would also allow the corpers to gain valuable experience in their chosen fields of study, noting that the previous policy hampered Nigerian youths from gaining experiences that would prepare them for the labour market.
The memo read in parts, “There is an urgent need to review this policy to expand the opportunity and access for corps members to serve in places that are relevant to their areas of study. Without prejudice to the need to constantly review per prevailing realities, I now direct as follows: Lifting of all restrictions on postings.
“Posting of corps members to, as much as practicable, be in line with their course of study. Posting of corps members to select banks and other private sector organisations, including those operating in oil and gas, to commence with Abuja and Lagos. The directive contained herein will take effect from the date of commencement of the 2024 Batch ‘C Orientation Course and applies in relation to any matter relating to the posting and distribution of corps members to Places of Primary Assignment.
“The now revoked policy has greatly hampered experience gathering that would effectively prepare them for the job market.”