The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has clarified his earlier comments on the proposed replacement of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) khaki uniform, stating that the Federal Government has not approved any new fabric for the scheme.
The clarification comes hours after his appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, where he spoke about ongoing reforms to the NYSC.
NewsmaxNG reported earlier that the Federal Government was considering replacing the traditional khaki uniform with locally produced Adire fabric as part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening the scheme and supporting local industries.
However, in a statement shared on his X account on Thursday, Olawande said his remarks had been misunderstood by some media outlets.
According to him, he only mentioned Adire and Ankara as examples of proposals currently being considered during consultations, and not as an official government decision.
“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 stressed that no final decision has been reached on the design or fabric that would be used if the uniform is eventually changed.
He explained that the government is evaluating several options based on factors such as professionalism, national identity, durability, functionality, affordability and their ability to reflect national pride.
“No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design.”
Olawande also assured Nigerians that any eventual decision would be made after extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and in the overall interest of the NYSC and the country.
He urged the public to focus on the broader objectives of the ongoing reforms rather than the debate over the corps members’ uniform.
According to him, the reforms are intended to make the NYSC more relevant to present-day realities by improving the employability of corps members, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery and ensuring a smoother transition from 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.”
The minister added that the government welcomes constructive feedback from Nigerians and pledged that every proposal under the reform process would be carefully assessed before any final decisions are made.