The director-general of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has pleaded with state governments to upgrade orientation camp infrastructure nationwide.
He stressed that adequate facilities are essential for the effective delivery of the scheme’s mandate.
Nafiu spoke at the 2026 Batch ‘B’ pre-orientation workshop in Abuja yesterday, with the theme; “Strengthening the Orientation Course to Advance National Priorities and Meet Contemporary Challenges.”
He emphasised accountability, improved planning and stronger collaboration with stakeholders to enhance the quality of the orientation exercise.
According to him, the pre-orientation workshop remains a critical platform for reviewing previous exercises, identifying operational gaps, and strengthening future planning for better outcomes.
He said the participation had been expanded to include camp directors from Streams One and Two to ensure wider understanding of decisions taken at management level. While acknowledging the additional cost implications, he said the decision was necessary to improve clarity and eliminate ambiguity in camp administration.
With the growing number of co-producing institutions and increasing corps population, the Director General stressed the need for robust and responsive planning systems.
“There is no doubt that improved orientation camp facilities are crucial to our operations. As the core population grows, state governments must be made aware of the importance of fulfilling their obligations to provide fitting and functional orientation camps for the scheme to utilise.
“I will not allow corps members to be deployed to states where they will be kept like animals. State coordinators will be held accountable for not declaring the true holding capacity of their camps to PRS, Mobilisation and ICT prior to posting. So, when we send out forms requesting your holding capacity for males and females, it includes accommodation facilities that are well roofed, well ventilated, with toilets to support them, as well as the number of bunks and good mattresses that we can provide for our corps members.”
The DG also underscored the need for prudent resource management, calling for disciplined budgeting, the elimination of waste, and strengthened partnerships to ensure cost-effective service delivery.
Ahead of upcoming elections, Brigadier General Nafiu reiterated the importance of maintaining the NYSC’s neutrality, stressing that corps members must be well-grounded in civic responsibility, electoral conduct, and security awareness.
He further warned against any compromise in the scheme’s integrity during electoral duties, adding that strict adherence to codes of conduct remains non-negotiable.
Earlier, the director of Planning and Statistics, NYSC, Mallam Nura Umar, welcomed participants to the workshop, commending the leadership of the DG for what he described as visionary reforms repositioning the scheme for greater impact.
