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WHO WANTS THE NYSC DEAD?

Published

6 years ago

June 18, 2020

By Rems Akinola

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was conceptualized as a veritable vehicle to galvanized national unity and integration, speeding up the healing process of a country just emerging from the pains of a bloody civil war which left in its wake great devastations in both human and material terms, on both sides of the conflict.

The birthing of the Scheme in 1973 was a follow – up to the three Rs of Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation pronounced by the by then Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon’s Administration at the end of the Biafra/Nigeria civil war in 1970.

The first set of Corps Members who commenced service in July 1973 were graduates of the then existing Nigerian Universities of the 1972/73 academic session who did so amid protests by the would-be Corps Members, their parents, and guardians. The students thought it’s not worth it, “wasting” a whole year to the so-called service to the nation, when companies were in a queue to employ them, with a guaranteed car loan and good life.

On the part of their parents and guardians, they felt that letting their sons and daughters travel to far-flung states constituted a heavy security risk, given that the wounds inflicted by the civil war were still fresh.

Notwithstanding the protests, the then Federal Military Government was resolute in going ahead with the establishment of the Scheme, having given due consideration to the perceived gains derivable from the Corps.

Therefore, 2364 graduates of the universities constituted the pioneer members of the Scheme, deployed to the then twelve states of Nigeria.

Interestingly, the Corps, having weathered so many existential storms has grown exponentially over the past forty – seven years, mobilizing currently for service over 300,000 Nigerian youths, hence making it the biggest youth – mobilization agency in the globe.

The question begging for answer is: After 47 years, who wants the Scheme dead, albeit instalmentally?

The traditional and new media were awash with the report of the Osibanjo – led Economic Sustainability Committee, recommending the suspension of the NYSC Orientation programme for two years. The Committee further proposed the deployment of Prospective Corps Members from their higher institutions of graduation, straight to states of service.

The position of the Committee, doubtlessly fraught with so many flaws is manifestly antithetical to the philosophy behind the establishment of the Scheme as the Orientation camp introduces the Corps Members to the service Scheme.

In fact, as an ex – Corps Member from the South West, a stakeholder of the Scheme that faithfully served in Niger State which broadened my horizon, I can aptly say that the Orientation camp is the launching pad for the one-year national service. It affords Corps Members a better understanding of the objectives of the Scheme; acquaints them with their environment in their political, cultural, social and economic setting, while preparing them for their particular roles in the Scheme.

The Orientation camp is a regimented environment which inculcates the spirit of discipline among the Corps Members — a primary ingredient needed for national rebirth, by subjecting them to military drills; and educating them on nationalistic issues.

Ordinarily, some of the youths wouldn’t have had the opportunity to travel to those places, save the scheme. But more importantly, it enables youths from across the country the opportunity to interact.

Above all, the Orientation camp lays the foundation for the much envisaged national unity and integration through the interaction of Corps Members from diverse ethnic groups, social strata, and religious backgrounds.

Lasting friendships cutting across tribe and religion have been built over the years; in addition to intertribal marriages that arose as a result of exposure to the Orientation camp. Who then wants the NYSC dead?

Sadly, over the years, the NYSC Scheme has remained a hapless head that receives underserved ruthless knocks from every Tom, Dick, and Harry. Most of the challenges besetting the Scheme are extraneous to it.

Truly speaking, I don’t envy the managers of the Scheme, especially the PR managers who usually have a lot of explanations to offer when NYSC suffers vicariously for other agencies’ failings.

For instance, if a Corps Member comes on harm’s way, even in his father’s house, as long as he’s a Corps Member, the Scheme must take responsibility for his fate.

The NYSC is blamed for every wrong thing in Nigeria, from unemployment to insecurity. Some people would often ask derisively: After NYSC, what next? The rhetorical question is borne out of the spiraling unemployment situation in the country which of course is not the making of the Scheme, as Corps Members can never be insulated from the vagaries of the economy.

It’s heartwarming to note that the Scheme answered the rhetorical question with the introduction of the NYSC skill acquisition and entrepreneurship development programme, which has in camp and post-camp components.

While in the camp, Corps Members are exposed to skill training in chosen skill sets and they continue with the training after the Orientation course.

From diligent investigation, a number of ex – Corps Members have been able to set up thriving businesses, arising from the NYSC skill acquisition programme.

I have a female cousin who studied Architecture, but today earns a living from the business of hat, bag, and shoe – manufacturing, employing, and mentoring four employees.

Therefore, cutting off the Orientation programme which I hold as a veiled attempt to reach the jugular of the Scheme, will be akin to dealing an unkind cut to the youths.

NYSC unarguably remains the major youth programme in the country, and no amount of resources expended on youth – development is a waste. The youths are the future of this country, and the future of this country should not be toyed with.

I hastily posit that I consider giving focus to the youths as one of the greatest achievements of the Scheme. The Orientation camp is like a crucible that changes the perception of an average Corps Member about life.

Is it not amazing that many cultists who drop the toga of cultism before entering the camp since the NYSC has zero-tolerance for cultism leave the camp after three – weeks with a refocused mindset, abandoning the figurative toga left at the entrance of the gate.

It’s still very doubtful that anyone who served the nation diligently as a Corps Member would support tinkering with the soul of the NYSC — the Orientation camp, unless for political expediency, as pundits have begun to give political coloration to the recommendation of the Osibanjo — led Economic Sustainability Committee.

Many have alleged that the Scheme has become an albatross for so many politicians that evaded service; therefore they must conspiratorially snuff life out of the Scheme insidiously.

Who wants the NYSC dead? The Scheme is a microcosmic Nigeria. Killing the Scheme in any guise is akin to piercing the heart of the nation with a hot knife, which after all may give the day to the promoters of separatist movements and tribal jingoists.

Nigerians are watching the President to know his reaction. Will he acquiesce to the recommendation of the Committee which on the face value appears innocuous, but in reality, a representation of a gold chalice, laden with poisonous venom.

The NYSC scheme is fulfilling its mandate and nothing should hamper its operations; if anything, it must be guarded jealously

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Featured

Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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