President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved 50,000 additional mobilisation slots for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in 2026 as part of efforts to address the growing number of graduates awaiting enlistment for the mandatory national service.
Gatekeepers News reports that the approval was disclosed in Abuja by Brigadier-General Olakunle Nafiu, the director-general of NYSC, during the inauguration of a newly remodelled clinic at the scheme’s national headquarters. The event also marked the first anniversary of his tenure as head of the organisation.
Nafiu explained that the decision was taken in response to complaints from graduates facing long delays before being mobilised for the one-year national service programme. He noted that the additional slots have already been captured in the 2026 federal budget.
With the new approval, the NYSC expects to mobilise about 418,000 corps members in 2026, reflecting the continuous expansion of the scheme as the number of tertiary institutions and graduates in Nigeria increases.
The NYSC boss said the scheme has grown significantly since its establishment in 1973, when fewer than a dozen institutions produced graduates and only about 2,364 corps members were mobilised in the early years. Today, more than 400 corps-producing institutions generate roughly 600,000 graduates annually, creating pressure on the mobilisation system.
He also explained that not all graduates are mobilised immediately because some are granted exemptions, while professionals such as medical doctors and lawyers must complete additional training before they can participate in the programme.
Nafiu added that provisions have also been made in the 2027 budget cycle to improve the welfare of corps members, including upgrades to their kits, feeding arrangements, and transportation allowances.
The move is expected to reduce the backlog of prospective corps members waiting to begin their national service and improve the efficiency of the mobilisation process nationwide.
