The Federal Executive Council has approved the most sweeping NYSC reforms since the scheme was established in 1973, replacing military leadership with a civilian Director-General, extending the orientation camp from three to six weeks and scrapping the traditional passing-out parade.

The decisions were taken at Monday’s Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, according to Punch Newspapers.

Minister of Youth Development Ayodele Wisdom said the reforms are aimed at transforming the National Youth Service Corps from a mobilisation programme into a skills-driven platform focused on employment, entrepreneurship and national productivity.

Under the new framework, corps members will choose from 11 specialised streams during registration. These include Agriculture, Medical, Education, Technology and Digital, Legal, Public Service, Infrastructure, Green, Enterprise, Creative Economy, and Paramilitary and Security.

The orientation camp will now run for six weeks in three phases. The first two weeks will focus on civic responsibility, national values and leadership. The second phase will cover career development, financial literacy, business planning and access to finance, while the final two weeks will provide specialised training based on each corps member’s selected stream.

Officials said participants in programmes requiring longer certification, such as the Digital Core, may remain in structured training for up to six months before deployment.

The reforms also introduce a civilian-led management structure headed by a Director-General, supported by three Executive Directors. Security responsibilities will remain with the military through a dedicated security directorate.

In another major change, the traditional Passing-Out Parade will be discontinued and replaced with a graduation ceremony. The NYSC uniform will also be redesigned to reflect a more professional identity.

Special Adviser to the President on Policy and Coordination Hadiza Bala-Usman said the overhaul is the first comprehensive reform of the NYSC in its 53-year history and is intended to align the scheme with the Federal Government’s ambition of building a one trillion-dollar economy.

She added that the Attorney-General of the Federation has been directed to amend the NYSC Act and related regulations to provide legal backing for the approved reforms.