- Minister of Youth Development said no final decision has been made on changing the NYSC uniform
- He explained that Adire and Ankara were only examples under consideration in ongoing reforms
- He urged Nigerians not to misinterpret discussions as an official approval
The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has moved to correct public interpretation of his remarks on a possible change to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) uniform, stressing that no approval has been given for Adire or any other fabric to replace the current khaki.
In a statement shared on his official X handle, Eko Hot Blog gathered that he said his comments during a Channels Television interview were taken out of context and wrongly reported as a final decision by the Federal Government.
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Olawande explained that mentioning Adire and Ankara was only part of examples being considered in ongoing consultations about reforms within the NYSC, not an official adoption of any design.
He reiterated that the process is still at the discussion stage, with no agreement reached on what material or style would eventually be used for corps members’ uniforms.
According to him, the review is focused on finding options that balance identity, cost, durability, functionality, and national pride.
He added that whatever decision is eventually made will follow wide consultations with relevant stakeholders and will be guided by what best serves the interests of the scheme and the country.
The minister urged Nigerians to avoid focusing narrowly on the uniform debate, saying it risks overshadowing broader reforms aimed at repositioning the NYSC.
He noted that the reforms are intended to improve job readiness, encourage entrepreneurship, strengthen national unity, and ease graduates’ transition into the workforce.
Olawande also said the wider overhaul of the NYSC is part of efforts to modernise the scheme and align it with current economic and social realities.
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