The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) plans to mobilize over 650,000 graduates from Nigerian and foreign tertiary institutions for the mandatory one-year national service in 2026.
NYSC Director-General Brigadier-General Olakunle Oluseye disclosed this during the seventh National Day of Identity organized by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Abuja.
Oluseye noted that about 400,000 graduates participated in the NYSC scheme this year, and the projected increase highlights the program’s growing importance in fostering national unity and youth development.
He emphasized the critical role of National Identity Numbers (NIN) in mobilizing corps members, citing a 2023 case where an investigative journalist attempting multiple registrations was identified through the system.
The NYSC DG praised the collaboration with NIMC, which has eliminated multiple registrations and fraudulent enrollment.
He described the current mobilization process as faster and clearer, with ongoing efforts to address challenges.

