Featured

DG Nafiu’s First Year at NYSC Marked by Transformational Achievements

Published

1 week ago

March 5, 2026

When Brigadier General OO Nafiu assumed office on March 6, 2025 as the 23rd Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), expectations were high.

The Scheme, which has remained a cornerstone of Nigeria’s youth development and national integration since its establishment, required renewed energy, strategic direction and reforms capable of addressing modern realities.

One year later, Brigadier General Nafiu has presented a comprehensive scorecard highlighting the milestones achieved under his leadership.

His administration, anchored on transparency, improved welfare, job creation and institutional efficiency, has recorded notable progress in repositioning the NYSC for greater relevance in contemporary Nigeria.

A Vision Anchored on Reform and RelevanceUpon assumption of office, the Director-General outlined a clear vision designed to strengthen the Scheme and align it with the evolving needs of Nigerian society. His agenda was built around three major pillars: transparent leadership, improved welfare for corps members and staff, and expanded job creation initiatives.
This vision translated into a broader policy thrust aimed at strengthening the NYSC to ensure its future relevance while contributing meaningfully to national development.
Four focal points guided the implementation of this agenda: enhanced security and welfare for corps members and staff, promotion of patriotism and personal growth among corps members, building a resilient workforce, and promoting strategic communication across the organisation.
Over the past year, these guiding principles have shaped several reforms and initiatives that have improved the operational efficiency and national impact of the Scheme.

Strengthening Welfare and Staff DevelopmentOne of the central priorities of the Nafiu-led administration has been the welfare and professional development of staff.
In a significant move to improve transportation and operational convenience, the Scheme secured a Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) bus to facilitate movement for staff and corps members.

Career progression also received a major boost with the successful conduct of the 2025 promotion exercise. A total of 696 senior staff and 139 junior staff were promoted, while 173 officers received approval for conversion to different cadres and salary grade levels. These measures have strengthened morale and reinforced a culture of merit and dedication within the organisation.

In addition, the management ensured prompt payment of disengagement allowances to retired personnel, with over 168 staff benefiting from post-service welfare support.
A landmark achievement during the year was the approval for the implementation of peculiar allowances for NYSC staff, which took effect from January 2026, further improving staff motivation and financial welfare.

National Recognition and Institutional Excellence

The NYSC also received significant national recognition during the year under review. The Scheme was honoured with the Best Performing SERVICOM Unit (Parastatal), Team A, at the SERVICOM Presidency’s 2025 Annual End-of-Year Awards.

The Director-General himself was recognised as the Best Supporting Chief Executive by the SERVICOM National Office in 2025. In another major recognition of institutional compliance and digital responsibility, the NYSC was named the Most Compliant Public Sector Organisation on Data Protection (Federal) by the Nigeria Data Protection Commission in February 2026.
These accolades underscore the commitment of the leadership to transparency, accountability and service delivery.

Celebrating Outstanding Corps MembersA major highlight of the year was the hosting of the combined President’s NYSC Honours Award Ceremony for the years 2020 to 2023. The event celebrated 210 outstanding former corps members whose exceptional service contributed to the development of communities across Nigeria.

Beyond recognition, the Federal Government rewarded the awardees with automatic employment into the Federal Civil Service, reinforcing the value of patriotism, diligence and national service.

Expanding Operational Capacity

To strengthen operational efficiency, the NYSC conducted a recruitment exercise that brought 850 new staff into the Scheme. This move addressed manpower gaps and enhanced the institution’s ability to effectively manage its programmes nationwide.

The administration also intensified advocacy and engagement with key stakeholders such as the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and various state governments. These collaborations have improved support for NYSC activities and strengthened partnerships crucial to the Scheme’s success.

Improving Infrastructure and Healthcare Support

Infrastructure and healthcare resources also received attention. The NYSC received two mobile clinics donated by the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, in February 2026. The mobile facilities are expected to improve access to healthcare services for corps members, particularly in remote deployment locations.

Policy Reforms for Institutional EfficiencyInstitutional reform has been another significant focus. The administration successfully processed the approval of the NYSC Scheme of Service, last revised in 1992, and the NYSC Conditions of Service, last updated in 2013, by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The updated documents are expected to improve service delivery, strengthen administrative structures and provide clearer career frameworks for staff.

Enhancing Corps Members’ Welfare
Corps members also benefited from policy improvements. Approval was secured for an upward review of the allowances covering kits, feeding and transportation for corps members, with implementation expected to commence in 2027.

The administration also ensured prompt payment of corps members’ insurance coverage, reinforcing safety nets for participants in the Scheme.

Promoting Entrepreneurship and Job CreationBeyond welfare, the NYSC has continued to expand job creation opportunities for corps members.

Through strengthened partnerships with private sector organisations, the Scheme has facilitated employment pathways for graduates completing their national service.

Entrepreneurship programmes under the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development initiative have also empowered corps members with practical business skills, enabling many to establish their own enterprises.

Promoting Unity and Cultural IntegrationThe NYSC remains a vital instrument for national unity, and the current leadership has reinforced this role through strengthened community development programmes and cultural initiatives. Activities such as the NYSC cultural festivals in orientation camps have been improved and repackaged to promote cultural understanding and national cohesion among young Nigerians.

Embracing Digital Innovation
Operational improvements have also been driven by digital innovation. The Scheme has introduced and expanded digital solutions aimed at improving efficiency, administrative coordination and service delivery across its nationwide operations.
a
Capacity Building and Professional TrainingStaff training and professional development have remained a priority. In addition to internal workshops such as the pre-mobilisation workshop, pre-orientation workshop and Annual Management Conference, more than 936 staff members participated in seminars and professional training programmes organised by reputable institutions across the country.

These organisations include the Federal Training Centres, the Centre for Management Development, the Institute for Strategic Management of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army Resource Centre and the Institute for Humanitarian Studies and Social Development.Strengthening Strategic PartnershipsPartnerships with government agencies, private organisations and non-governmental bodies have continued to expand, helping to drive youth empowerment initiatives and national development programmes linked to the NYSC mandate.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

Despite these achievements, the year was not without challenges. Security concerns and funding constraints posed operational difficulties. However, the leadership emphasised that the experiences have provided valuable lessons that will guide future strategies to ensure the Scheme remains resilient and responsive to national needs.Looking Ahead

As the NYSC enters another phase of its development, Brigadier General Nafiu has outlined a forward-looking agenda focused on digital transformation, youth entrepreneurship and stronger stakeholder collaboration.These initiatives aim to deepen the Scheme’s role in promoting national unity, youth empowerment and sustainable development.

Reflecting on the past year, the Director-General expressed pride in the collective efforts of NYSC staff, corps members and stakeholders whose dedication has driven the progress recorded.

With renewed commitment and strategic direction, the NYSC leadership believes the Scheme is well positioned to achieve even greater impact in shaping Nigeria’s future.

For Brigadier General Nafiu and the NYSC family, the message remains clear: the journey continues, driven by a shared belief that Nigeria’s unity and development remain the ultimate mission of the National Youth Service Corps.

Share on Facebook

Featured

Resetting the Frontlines: Army Undergoes Rejuvenation Under Lt. Gen Shaibu’s Command

Published

1 month ago

February 11, 2026

The Gleamer

…Intelligence-led warfare, troop welfare take centre stage
…Discipline, welfare, accountability define new era
…As sustained operations weaken terrorists, restore confidence

By Ibukunoluwa Adedeji

When Lt-Gen. Waidi Shaibu assumed office as the 25th Chief of Army Staff (COAS) on 30 October 2025, Nigeria faced an array of security challenges: insurgency in the North-East, banditry and kidnappings in the North-West, communal violence in the North-Central, and separatist tensions in the South-East. Troops were overstretched, public confidence was fragile, and adversaries were increasingly adaptive.

Yet within his first 100 days, Shaibu delivered renewed direction, restored confidence, and a reinvigorated operational posture. His leadership has begun to reshape both the internal culture of the Army and its external engagement with a nation hungry for stability.

From the outset, Shaibu emphasised leadership by presence. He undertook early and frequent visits to frontline formations, engaging directly with troops and commanders, inspecting bases, and holding candid discussions about operational realities. During one such visit, he reminded soldiers that “failure is not an option” and that the Army must “take the fight to the enemy and sustain the pressure”. For personnel operating under austere conditions, this visible command style carried symbolic and practical weight, signalling both accountability and support.

Within the ranks, these engagements have been interpreted as a reassertion of professionalism, initiative, and discipline at every level of command. Morale, strained by years of protracted internal security operations, has shown early signs of recovery.

Rather than pursue sweeping doctrinal changes, Shaibu has focused on tightening existing operations, closing gaps, and enforcing discipline. Commanders have been directed to prioritise sustained pressure over episodic offensives, denying armed groups freedom of movement, disrupting their logistics networks, and degrading command structures. This approach reflects an understanding that Nigeria’s threats are fragmented and mobile, and that lasting gains depend less on dramatic victories than on persistent control of contested spaces.

Central to this recalibration is the emphasis on intelligence-led operations. By urging formations to reduce predictability and adapt tactics to evolving threats, Shaibu has reinforced flexibility and responsiveness, particularly in theatres where adversaries exploit terrain, local vulnerabilities, and intelligence gaps.

Perhaps the most widely welcomed dimension of Shaibu’s early tenure has been his candour about logistics and welfare challenges. He has openly acknowledged equipment shortages, maintenance backlogs, and inefficiencies in supply chains — issues often underplayed at senior command levels. “You cannot demand excellence from soldiers without giving them the tools to succeed,” he told troops during one engagement.

Although such systemic problems cannot be resolved quickly, the early prioritisation of welfare and sustainment has resonated strongly across the ranks. It has reinforced the principle that discipline and performance thrive where leadership invests in people as much as platforms.

Shaibu has also been unequivocal in reaffirming professionalism and discipline as non-negotiable pillars of Army conduct. Troops have been reminded to adhere strictly to rules of engagement and to protect civilians, particularly in complex internal security environments where the distinction between combatant and non-combatant is often blurred. “Operational success and public trust are inseparable,” he has said, underscoring that legitimacy and restraint are as critical as kinetic force in modern conflict.

Civil–military relations and strategic communication have likewise received renewed attention. Under his leadership, the Army has sought to balance operational secrecy with transparency, explaining actions affecting civilians and reinforcing the reality that contemporary conflicts are fought as much in the court of public opinion as on the battlefield.

While his tenure remains young, early operational dividends are emerging. Dr Sani Abubakar, military scholar and publisher of OurNigeria News Magazine, describes Shaibu’s leadership as “reassuring and energising”, citing his combat credibility, operational boldness, and focus on troop welfare. According to Abubakar, Shaibu’s philosophy centres on sustained dominance of the battlespace, intelligence-led targeting, and uncompromising control of reclaimed terrain — principles vital to breaking cycles of retreat and resurgence by armed groups.

He notes that numerous terrorist elements have been neutralised under this approach, while others, weakened by sustained pressure, have surrendered. Equally significant, Abubakar observes, is Shaibu’s emphasis on sound administration. Fairness and transparency in postings and appointments are gradually restoring confidence within the officer corps and rank and file, addressing long-standing concerns about morale, meritocracy, and institutional trust.

Reflecting on Shaibu’s career, Abubakar describes him as “a thoroughbred, no-nonsense officer who led from the front and was unflinching in confronting Boko Haram terrorists”. His insistence on integrity, accountability, and merit-based leadership, he argues, is grounded in experience at every level of command and now shapes the tone of the Army’s senior leadership.

At the 100-day mark, Shaibu’s tenure is defined more by direction than dramatic outcomes — a reality seasoned analysts regard as realistic and prudent. Nigeria’s vast terrain, multiplicity of threats, intelligence gaps, and enduring resource constraints mean that no leader can deliver transformative security outcomes overnight.

Nevertheless, the gains are tangible. Operational coherence has improved, morale has lifted, and public confidence, though cautious, has begun to recover. The focus on sustained operations, intelligence-driven targeting, troop welfare, professionalism, and accountability represents a recalibration towards durability rather than spectacle.

Abubakar, while commending these advances, advocates deeper investment in human intelligence, expanded use of unmanned aerial vehicles, and sustained commitment to security sector governance reforms as essential for long-term efficiency and professionalism.

Beyond operational metrics, one of Shaibu’s most significant achievements lies in restoring institutional confidence. Among officers and soldiers, his leadership style — marked by visibility, firmness, and empathy — has reinforced the belief that competence, integrity, and merit are once again ascendant values within the Nigerian Army.

Among communities affected by violence, his emphasis on civilian protection, transparency, and professionalism has begun to reframe perceptions of the military from a distant security force to a responsive national institution committed to safeguarding lives and livelihoods. For political leaders and security stakeholders, his early tenure has provided reassurance that Army leadership understands both the complexity of Nigeria’s security challenges and the necessity of sustained, coordinated responses rather than episodic reactions.

Ultimately, Shaibu’s success will be measured not by early momentum but by enduring outcomes: fewer attacks, safer communities, and restored public confidence in the state’s capacity to protect its citizens. Troops will judge whether leadership intent continues to be matched by resources, reforms, and consistent follow-through.

What is already clear, however, is that Lt-Gen. Waidi Shaibu has reset the tone at the top of Nigeria’s Army. Through leadership by presence, operational discipline, attention to troop welfare, and an unambiguous commitment to professionalism and accountability, he has laid the foundations for sustained institutional recovery.

In a security environment where patience is scarce and pressure relentless, these early gains matter. They suggest that under Shaibu’s stewardship, the Nigerian Army is not merely reacting to threats, but regaining the initiative, and crucially, the confidence needed to confront Nigeria’s most persistent security challenges with resolve, coherence, and credibility.

Share on Facebook