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, following widespread reactions to his earlier comments on the proposed reform.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Thursday, Olawande said reports suggesting that Adire had been adopted to replace the iconic khaki uniform misrepresented remarks he made during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
The minister explained that his reference to Adire and Ankara during the interview was merely to illustrate some of the proposals under consideration as part of the ongoing review of the NYSC scheme.
“No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design,” he said.
“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,” Olawande stated.
He said the government is evaluating various options that meet key requirements, including professional appearance, national identity, durability, functionality, affordability and the promotion of national pride.
According to the minister, any eventual decision will be based on extensive consultations with stakeholders and what best serves the interests of the NYSC and the country.
Olawande also urged Nigerians not to allow the debate over a possible change of uniform to distract attention from the broader reforms being introduced to reposition the scheme.
He said the reforms are aimed at making the NYSC more responsive to current realities by improving graduate employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery and easing the transition from education to 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,” he said.
Earlier on Thursday, Olawande had stated during the television interview that the government planned to replace the NYSC’s traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire to promote Nigeria’s textile industry and support local manufacturers.
The proposed uniform change was presented as part of a broader package of reforms approved by the Federal Executive Council, which also includes skills-based deployment of corps members, civilian operational leadership for the scheme and amendments to the NYSC Act.
