Tunde Bakare
The Director General (DG) of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has said the Scheme would continue to produce the generation of youths that would shape Nigeria’s economic future.
He also reaffirmed the Scheme’s commitment to youth empowerment and human capital development through digital solutions.
He stated this in his remarks at the 2026 edition of National Youth Entrepreneurship and Empowerment (YEEP) programme, with the theme; “Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Courage and Impact”, held in Abuja.
General Nafiu in his remarks lauded the Founder and CEO of Activate Success International Foundation, Mrs Love Idoko-Uloko, the convener of the event, for visiting the NYSC Orientation Camps to sensitize Corps Members on creativity and self employment.
He added that Idoko-Uloko had given business grants to many Corps Members, facilitated skills training for more than a million youths and also provided opportunities for Corps mentorship.
He reiterated that the Scheme’s partnership with the ldoko-Uloko Foundation was “driven by our shared vision to build a self reliant generation of Nigerian youths”.
“Young men and women, not just with academic credentials but with practical skills and an entrepreneurial mindset”.
“Our mission is clear; to empower the next generation to create jobs not jobs to seek them”.
The Director General disclosed that the NYSC remains one of the country’s strategic nation-building institutions, creating a platform for unity and service, which has gone beyond integration, with deliberate mentorship of disciplined, resilient and productive young citizens.
He said the Scheme’s mandate aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda which placed youth employment, inclusive growth, digital transformation and private-sector led enterprise at the centre of national prosperity.
“The NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, is deliberately aligning with Nigeria’s micro and small enterprise framework which recognizes MSMEs as a small engine room for jobs, innovation and local value creation”.
General Nafiu added that through the Scheme’s SAED programme, many job seekers had been turned to job creators by equipping them with the tools and confidence that would shape their destinies.
He said the existing strategic partnership with the Activate Success International Foundation would help to turn the Scheme’s vision to reality.
In his words; “Over the years, our partnership with Activate Success International Foundation has delivered real value to Corps Members in form of grants, mentorship, post-camp entrepreneurial support across the country”.
General Nafiu appreciated the Activate Success International Foundation for collaborating with the NYSC and promised that the Scheme would deepen the relationship for further benefits.
“NYSC remains steadfast in strengthening partnership that would advance the welfare, empowerment and productive engagement of our Corps Members”.
“Our mandate is unwaivering to champion the national aspiration to a prosperous and sustainable Nigeria”, he said.
The Founder, Activate Success International Foundation, Mrs Love Idoko-Uloko said the foundation had impacted thousands of Nigerian youths while more than 85% of their businesses had been registered.
She also said more that 50million naira had been disbursed over the years to many young Nigerians as business grants.
The CEO of Activate Success International Foundation advised youths to strive and transform their ideas into actions that would create value and also solve problems.
In his keynote address, the Deputy Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu, advised the Nigerian youths to be visionary, committed and disciplined to use the various job opportunities provided by the Federal Government to create successful future for themselves.
A total of twenty-five youths were given the sum of Five Hundred Thousand Naira each as business grants by Flutterwave, which is one of the partners of Activate Success International Foundation, among other incentives.
Speakers at the event include the Minister for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, the Chief Judge of the FCT High Court, Hon. Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf among others.
Also at the event, 6 partners including the NYSC, were given awards for being strong supporters of Activate Success International Foundation.