Federal Government Yet to Approve Adire as NYSC Uniform, Minister Clarifies

By: Awajis Josiah-Chijindu 

The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has clarified that the Federal Government has not approved Adire as the new uniform for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), saying his earlier remarks on the subject were misconstrued.

The clarification came hours after media reports suggested that the government had concluded plans to replace the NYSC's iconic khaki uniform with Adire following the minister's appearance on Channels Television's The Morning Brief on Thursday.

In a statement posted on his official social media account later on Thursday, Olawande explained that he had merely referenced Adire and Ankara as examples of proposals being considered during consultations on the ongoing reform of the NYSC, and not as a final policy decision.

"My attention has been drawn to some media reports following my brief appearance earlier this morning on Channels TV regarding the ongoing reforms of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), particularly on the issue of the proposed uniform.

"For the avoidance of doubt, yes, I mentioned Adire during the discussion. I also mentioned Ankara. My intention was simply to cite examples of some of the proposals that have been put forward in the course of our consultations. It was not an announcement that any particular fabric has been adopted or approved to replace the current NYSC uniform," the minister said.

Olawande stressed that the Federal Government is still evaluating several options, with emphasis on maintaining a professional appearance while promoting national identity, durability, affordability and local industry.

"For the record, what we are considering are different options that tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the projection of national pride. No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design," he said. 

During the live television interview, Olawande had responded to a question on whether any new NYSC uniform would be produced locally by saying: "It's Adire. Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun; we have them in Kwara; we have textile industries. Let's put our money back into the country."

The remarks were widely interpreted as confirmation that Adire had been officially adopted as the new NYSC uniform, prompting extensive media reports on the purported policy shift.

In his clarification, however, the minister urged Nigerians not to allow the debate over the proposed uniform to distract from the broader objectives of the comprehensive reforms being undertaken by the Federal Government.

According to him, the ongoing review of the NYSC is focused on making the scheme more responsive to the country's development needs by improving graduates' employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration and enhancing service delivery.

He added that the reforms are also designed to provide a smoother transition for young graduates from tertiary education into productive careers.

"While conversations around the uniform are understandable, they should not overshadow the far-reaching reforms aimed at empowering millions of Nigerian youths and positioning the NYSC as a stronger platform for national development," Olawande said.

The clarification follows the Federal Executive Council's approval of a broad package of reforms for the NYSC earlier this week, including proposals to review deployment policies, strengthen the scheme's operational framework and amend the NYSC Act as part of efforts to modernise the programme established in 1973.