The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has been facing challenges in mobilizing graduates for the compulsory one-year service, with over 500,000 graduates currently awaiting mobilization.
In a news report by The Guardian Newspaper, 2025 explained that the backlog of graduates includes 78,000 from the 2022 cohort, 212,000 from 2023, 185,000 from 2024, and 65,000 newly registered graduates from 2025.
The delay is attributed to the increase of the NYSC monthly allowance from N33,000 to N77,000 which reduced the quota of institutions mobilization and causes the delay in mobilization of graduates that at times make them blame their institutions which is not the way.
According to data reports, universities and polytechnics admit close to 2 million students annually, producing about 600,000 graduates, while the Federal Government keeps establishing more tertiary institutions.
However, the NYSC can only mobilize around 240,000 to 350,000 corps members yearly, leading to a significant backlog. Another challenge is that Federal Government has announced that graduates will no longer be mobilized unless they submit their final year projects and other academic works to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
With 240,000 to 350,000 graduates yearly giant institution like Kaduna Polytechnic and Yaba College of Technology face great challenges in mobilizing their graduated students for NYSC because of their quota of mobilization, and until the quata is increased things will not changed. While, students may keep putting the blame on their institutions while the problem is beyond the school’s ability, until the quota is increased students will form a queue awaiting NYSC mobilization.
Though, the delay in mobilization has severe consequences, including blocking access to employment opportunities and exacerbating youth unemployment. The NYSC discharge certificate is a requirement for many employers, and delayed mobilization means graduates are unable to access these opportunities.
Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim, Goronyo is a staff of Kaduna Polytechnic and writes via auwalahmed@kadunapolytechnic.edu.ng