The Federal Government has commended the National Youth Service Corps, or NYSC, for its contribution in diverse areas to the overall development of the country, noting that its existence has been a strong tool for socio-economic development and national unity in its 50 years of existence.

The Minister for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja in his address at the opening ceremony of the 2023 NYSC Annual Management Conference, themed, “Optimizing the Operations of NYSC at 50 for National Development.”

While affirming that the government would continue to preserve the scheme for its roles in national development and youth empowerment, the minister, however, noted the need to reform NYSC to enhance improved service delivery and also meet the challenges of the 21st century youth as potential entrepreneurs.

He tasked the conference participants to “take the NYSC in the direction of another trajectory of progress, the digital revolution, supporting and molding the youths within one year to be better citizens for national development and national unity”.

In his welcome address, the Director General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Y.D. Ahmed, noted that the NYSC has remained a reference point for other organizations since its inception in 1973, owing to its vital roles in the promotion of national unity and integration.

He appealed to critical stakeholders to discharge their statutory responsibilities to the scheme and also empower a large number of corps members with start-up capital for self-reliance after going through the NYSC entrepreneurial trainings.

The DG stated further that the proposed NYSC Trust Fund, when actualized, would make the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development Program more functional through the provision of training facilities and start-up capital to finance the businesses of corps entrepreneurs.

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Alhaji Muhammed Musa Bello, in his address commended the various innovations and positive strides made by the scheme till date.

The minister, whose address was read by the Mandate Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed Kabir, said: “The nation surely looks up to the Scheme to continue to provide the required manpower for its accelerated development.”

Participants at the conference were drawn from the 37 NYSC state and FCT secretariats, area offices, and other formations of the scheme across the country.