The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a program set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime to involve Nigerian graduates in nation-building and the development of the country. The program was created in 1973 by the Nigerian government to promote national unity and development. The purpose of the scheme is primarily to inculcate in Nigerian youths the spirit of selfless service to the community and to emphasize the spirit of oneness and brotherhood of all Nigerians, irrespective of cultural or social background.
The NYSC is a one-year compulsory national service program for graduates of tertiary institutions in Nigeria. Since 1973, graduates of universities and later polytechnics have been required to take part in the National Youth Service Corps program for one year. The service year comprises of orientation courses, primary assignment, community development service, and winding-up/passing-out. The program is open to all Nigerian citizens who have graduated from a tertiary institution with a minimum of a second-class lower division. Corps members are deployed to different parts of the country, where they are required to work and live with people from different ethnic and religious backgrounds.
The NYSC was created to reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian Civil war. The program was established based on decree No. 24 which stated that the scheme was created "with a view to the proper encouragement and development of common ties among the youths of Nigeria and the promotion of national unity". The NYSC program is a requirement for those who want to work for the government and some other private companies. Completing a year of service with the NYSC is mandated by Nigerian law, with fines or jail time prescribed as punishment for those who fail to do so, although experts told Al Jazeera these penalties are never implemented.
The NYSC program has helped to create a sense of national identity among Nigerian youth, and it has helped to promote understanding and tolerance between different ethnic and religious groups. Despite criticisms, the NYSC remains an important part of Nigerian society.
