By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has unveiled plans to transform its Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme into a national platform for youth economic transformation, innovation and digital inclusion.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this in Abuja while delivering a keynote address at an interactive session between the Scheme’s top management and stakeholders at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre.
Nafiu said the NYSC had been at the forefront of equipping young Nigerian graduates with entrepreneurial knowledge and vocational skills since the introduction of the SAED programme in 2012.
According to him, the Scheme is currently expanding the scope of the programme to align with ongoing Federal Government reforms and global trends in youth empowerment.
He said the proposed reforms aligned with the NYSC’s ongoing strategy for SAED, which he noted was evolving beyond a conventional skills acquisition programme into a platform for entrepreneurship, innovation and digital inclusion.
“Since the introduction of SAED in 2012, the programme has been instrumental in shifting the narrative from job-seeking to job creation and in exposing Corps Members to vocational skills, entrepreneurship training and enterprise opportunities,” he stated.
The NYSC boss said the theme of the meeting, “Transforming SAED: Building a Data-Driven Operating Model for Standardized Delivery, Accountability and Measurable Impact,” reflected the Scheme’s strategic efforts to reposition the programme to meet the demands of the contemporary global economy.
Nafiu called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders in emerging areas such as artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, digital platforms, remote work, green technologies and the creative economy, which he said were redefining the nature of jobs and the skills required to succeed.
He said Nigeria’s youthful population could become a major driver of national development if equipped with relevant modern skills, entrepreneurial capabilities, digital competence and the mindset to create value in a rapidly changing economy.
The Director-General said the NYSC’s vision was to ensure that SAED evolved from a training programme into a national platform for youth economic transformation.
He therefore charged stakeholders to make the programme’s curriculum future-focused, with greater emphasis on digital skills, artificial intelligence, financial technology, agribusiness, renewable energy, manufacturing, creative industries and other high-growth sectors.
Nafiu also called for stronger enterprise pathways to provide Corps Members with post-camp mentorship, incubation, access to finance, market opportunities and business advisory services capable of transforming ideas into sustainable businesses.
He cited the recent partnership between the NYSC and the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University, Lagos, as an example of the type of collaboration required to strengthen the programme.
The NYSC helmsman further urged stakeholders to develop evidence-driven resolutions backed by reliable data showing the number of businesses established, jobs created, income generated and lives transformed through the SAED programme.
He also called for increased partnerships with industries, financial institutions, technology companies, development partners and educational institutions to sustain the impact and relevance of the programme.
“NYSC has always been more than a one-year national service programme. It is one of Nigeria’s foremost institutions for nation-building and youth development,” he said.
“As we look towards the next decade, I envisage a Scheme that not only promotes national unity and leadership development, but one that serves as Nigeria’s largest platform for youth innovation, entrepreneurship and digital transformation.”
Earlier, the Acting Director of SAED, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka, said the forum was convened to present the Scheme’s scorecard to its partners and strengthen existing collaborations.
Shokpeka disclosed that Corps Members participating in the SAED programme had received a cumulative sum of N283.9 billion in loans and grants between 2017 and 2023 to fund their businesses across the country.
She commended the Bank of Industry, Access Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, Activate Success Foundation, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Foundation, Fidelity Bank, United Capital Assurance and other public and private partners for supporting youth empowerment initiatives.
The Acting Director stressed the need for a standardised, data-driven operating model to eliminate inconsistencies, improve accountability and enhance the effectiveness of the SAED programme.
She said every intervention must be measurable, every investment accounted for and every success story backed by credible and reliable data.
“In today’s rapidly evolving digital environment, data has become the foundation for effective planning, informed decision-making, performance measurement, transparency and continuous improvement,” she added.
