FG Unveils Plan to Replace NYSC Khaki Uniform with Made-in-Nigeria Adire

The Federal Government has announced plans to phase out the iconic khaki uniform worn by members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and replace it with Adire, the locally produced fabric, as part of the sweeping reforms recently approved for the 53-year-old scheme.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, revealed the proposal on Thursday during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, explaining that the initiative is designed to boost indigenous textile production, stimulate local industries and ensure government expenditure benefits the Nigerian economy.

Highlighting the economic rationale behind the decision, the minister said: “It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country.”

The proposed uniform change is one of several reforms introduced by the Federal Government following Monday’s approval by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) of the most extensive restructuring of the NYSC since its establishment in 1973.

Beyond the new dress code, the government also intends to overhaul the deployment process by ensuring corps members are posted to assignments that align with their academic qualifications and professional training.

According to Olawande, graduates will no longer be deployed arbitrarily but will instead be assigned to sectors that match the skills they developed during both their academic studies and orientation camp activities.

He explained: “After you are leaving the camp, you are not just posted to a school just because NYSC wants you to be in school but because of the process you followed when in camp. So, that is going to give a framework of where you are going to be posted to.”

The minister also addressed growing concerns over the safety of corps members, disclosing that the government is considering a more strategic deployment system, particularly for states facing security challenges.

Under the proposed arrangement, prospective corps members may be posted to regions where they attended school or are already familiar with the environment, while those interested in serving in other parts of the country would still have the option to do so voluntarily.

He said the approach would reduce the need for redeployments and make the entire process more efficient.

“If you have interest that you want to go to the North-East why not, but if you don’t have interest, instead of redeploying you, paying people for camp, doing all those funny things, we said no, let us look at it and say who are those in that area, that can reside in those geographical areas and still give us the kind of number we are looking for since we are saying NYSC should be more impactful. So, that is what we are talking about,” he said.

Olawande further dismissed reports suggesting that the military would be completely removed from the NYSC structure, insisting that such claims misrepresent the reforms approved by the Federal Government.

The comprehensive overhaul approved by the FEC provides for significant changes to the administration of the scheme, including amendments to the NYSC Act and its subsidiary regulations.

To give legal backing to the reforms, the Council directed the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Federal Ministry of Youth Development to begin the legislative process required to amend the existing law.

Under the new governance framework, the NYSC will be headed by a civilian administrator, while the military will continue to play a key role by providing security support for corps members across the country.