The Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has encouraged Corps Members to take advantage of the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme in order to become self-employed and economically independent.

Brigadier General Nafiu gave the charge during his official visit to the NYSC Orientation Camps in Ise-Orun, Ekiti State, and Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State.

He emphasized the importance of vocational training, noting that several former Corps Members who embraced the initiative had grown to become employers of labour across various sectors in the country.

“The opportunities available through the SAED programme are immense. We have many partners like the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Industry, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, Access Bank, NNPC Foundation, Kudimata, among others, that are ready to assist with business grants, mentorship, and loans,” he stated.

The Director General urged the Corps Members to continue with post-camp training in their chosen vocations to achieve proficiency, stressing that the skills acquired during service could serve as a launchpad for successful entrepreneurship.

He also encouraged Corps Members to embrace the cultures of their host communities and use the service year as an opportunity to learn new values and experiences.

Providing updates on camp activities, the NYSC Ekiti State Coordinator, Mr. Riko Abdullahi Shuaibu, reported that a total of 2,527 Corps Members had been registered in the state, comprising 580 males and 731 females posted to Ekiti, alongside 492 males and 724 females dislodged from Lagos.

Similarly, the Ondo State Coordinator, Mrs. Kuburat Bakare, reported that 1,995 Corps Members were registered at the Ondo Orientation Camp, comprising 578 males and 717 females posted to the state, as well as 296 males and 404 females also dislodged from Lagos.

Both State Coordinators affirmed that all Corps Members and camp officials were working harmoniously to ensure the successful implementation of the Orientation Course objectives.