NYSC at 53: Still Nigeria’s Best Bet for Unity?

By: Abudu Olalekan

The NYSC scheme is older than most of us. It turned 53 this May, and honestly, it’s outlived every skeptical headline written about it.

The Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, recently sat down with NAN in Abuja and talked about why this program still matters. A lot.

“You know,” he said, “when the civil war ended in 1970, the country was in pieces. Different groups, different narratives, deep suspicion everywhere. What did we do? We created a way for young, educated people to actually see different parts of their country. Not as tourists. As part of the community. Living there. Eating the food. Learning the language.”

That right there — that’s the whole point.

Most Nigerians today will tell you their first real experience with “other Nigerians” came during their service year. Some went to places they never knew existed. Some made friends they’d have for life. And yes — some met their spouses.

“It’s funny how it works,” Nafiu shared. “You put young people together, away from home, and they figure out they have more in common than they thought. Different languages, same struggles. Different food, same hunger for opportunity.”

The numbers tell part of the story. In 1973, about 2,364 corps members were mobilized. This year? Over 400,000. That’s massive growth.

But here’s what the critics miss — it’s not about perfection. It’s about presence. Every year, young Nigerians get sent to states they’d never visit otherwise. They learn. They adapt. They build networks that cross ethnic lines.

“Has it solved every problem? No,” Nafiu admits. “But without it? We’d be in a much darker place. Most Nigerians will tell you themselves — the scheme has done well.”

The DG also hinted at changes coming — more tech, better welfare, smarter administration. Because the world moves, and so must NYSC.

Bottom line? At 53, the scheme is proof that some ideas actually work.