By Tony Ezimakor, Abuja

The Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ntufam Hilliard Eta, says bold reforms under his leadership will reposition the scheme as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s future development.

Eta, a former acting national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the NYSC under his watch will prioritize strategic innovations, particularly by expanding the existing Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the APC National Chairman, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) at the APC National Secretariat, Eta outlined his vision for a more robust, tech-driven NYSC.

“Central to my vision is a comprehensive reform of the SAED programme to integrate critical 21st-century skills—big data analytics, nanotechnology, artificial intelligence—so Corps members are not only employable, but become indispensable to Nigeria’s development agenda,” Eta said.

He stressed that the transformation of the SAED programme will serve as the driving engine of the NYSC’s new direction, empowering graduates with high-impact digital skills and entrepreneurial mindsets aligned with global trends.

Reflecting on the historical context of the scheme, Eta recalled that at the time of NYSC’s inception, Nigeria had only six universities and fewer than 100 graduates each year. Today, he noted, the country produces hundreds of thousands of graduates annually, necessitating a more future-facing and innovation-led NYSC model.

“This demographic reality demands that we rethink the NYSC—not just as a national unity tool, but as a talent incubator for national development,” he added.

In his remarks, APC National Chairman Dr. Ganduje welcomed Eta back into familiar territory, describing the visit as a “homecoming,” given Eta’s previous role as the party’s National Vice Chairman (South-South), and later Acting National Chairman following the exit of Adams Oshiomhole.

Ganduje praised President Bola Tinubu for appointing Eta to head the NYSC Board, expressing confidence in his capacity to bring visionary leadership to the institution.

“He is a thoroughbred party man and a strategic policy thinker. We are confident he will steer the NYSC Board towards relevance and innovation in this new era,” Ganduje said.

The APC National Working Committee also pledged full support for initiatives that strengthen national unity, empower Nigerian youth, and align with the goals of the Renewed Hope Agenda championed by the Tinubu administration.