By Queen Kunde
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced plans to strengthen skills acquisition, value orientation and citizenship training for young Nigerians during its orientation programme as part of efforts to promote national development.
Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, made this known on Thursday while speaking at the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Orientation Course Workshop in Abuja.
He said the orientation course must go beyond routine activities and become a platform for empowering corps members with practical skills, positive values and a stronger sense of national responsibility.
According to him, the programme should serve as a landmark experience that inspires patriotism, responsible citizenship and commitment to national growth.
Nafiu noted that the increasing number of prospective corps members across the country makes it necessary for state governments to provide functional and well-equipped orientation camps to support the Scheme’s activities.
“As the number of corps members continues to grow, we must see it not only as a challenge but also as an opportunity to expand our impact on national development,” he said.
The NYSC boss urged camp officials to lead by example and maintain high ethical standards, stressing that misconduct by staff or corps members would not be tolerated.
He also called for the constructive use of digital media in the orientation programme, saying corps members should be trained in responsible online behaviour and community mobilization.
Nafiu further emphasized the need for stronger security measures at orientation camps, urging continued collaboration with security agencies to guarantee the safety of participants.
Earlier, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Nura Umar, said the workshop was organized to review previous orientation courses, identify gaps and improve future exercises.
He explained that the theme of the workshop, “Strengthening the Orientation Course to Advance National Priorities and Contemporary Challenges,” highlights the important role of the orientation programme in shaping the character, values and service experience of corps members.
Umar added that the orientation course remains a vital tool for instilling discipline, patriotism and national values among Nigerian youths, urging participants to make meaningful contributions towards improving camp management and service delivery.
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