The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Dr. Maryam Isma’il Keshinro, has urged Nigerians and institutions to patronize commercial products of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), including bottled water, bread, and poultry, among others.
Dr. Keshinro made the call during a familiarization visit to the NYSC National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja, where she led some management staff of the Ministry. She expressed her readiness to seek partnerships with international organizations to support the Scheme in achieving greater results.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized the need for increased funding, additional staff, and better infrastructure to strengthen the NYSC’s operations and improve service delivery. She also praised the successive management teams of the Scheme for their efforts in mentoring Corps Members on leadership and providing entrepreneurial training that has produced many successful Corps entrepreneurs.
Dr. Keshinro, who completed her national service in Abia State in 1997, highlighted the vital role of Corps Members in promoting national unity and integration. She stressed the importance of stronger collaboration among stakeholders to enhance the impact of the Scheme, noting that NYSC’s commercial ventures deserved more public and institutional support.
“I am proud of you for what you are doing. Thank you for working as a family. We are working for Nigeria and I look forward to a robust working relationship with you,” she said.
In his remarks, the NYSC Director General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, congratulated Dr. Keshinro on her appointment and expressed appreciation for her visit. He revealed that the Scheme currently mobilizes about 400,000 Corps Members, with a projected figure of 650,000 expected from Nigerian Corps Producing Institutions alone starting from 2026.
Nafiu assured the Permanent Secretary of the Management’s continuous commitment to improving the welfare and security of Staff and Corps Members.
