Youth Minister Clarifies Remarks, Says No Decision Yet on NYSC Uniform

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), following widespread reactions to comments he made on national television.

Olawande said reports claiming that the traditional khaki uniform had been replaced with Adire misrepresented his remarks during an appearance on Channels Television’s *The Morning Brief*.

In a statement posted on his official X account on Thursday, the minister explained that Adire and Ankara were mentioned only as examples of proposals currently under consideration as part of broader reforms of the NYSC, stressing that no final decision had been reached.

“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,” he said.

According to him, discussions on a possible new uniform remain part of an ongoing consultation process involving relevant stakeholders.

He said any eventual choice would be based on factors such as professional appearance, durability, functionality, affordability, national identity and the ability to promote pride in the country.

Olawande added that the government would only adopt an option that best serves the interests of the NYSC and aligns with the objectives of the reform programme.

The minister also appealed to Nigerians not to allow the debate over the proposed uniform to divert attention from the wider reforms being introduced to reposition the scheme.

He explained that the reforms are intended to make the NYSC more responsive to current realities by improving the employability of corps members, encouraging entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery and easing the transition of graduates 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,” he stated.

The clarification came hours after reports emerged that the Federal Government had settled for locally produced Adire to replace the NYSC’s iconic khaki uniform as part of a comprehensive restructuring of the 53-year-old scheme.

During his television interview, Olawande had responded, “It’s Adire,” while explaining that the proposal was aimed at supporting Nigeria’s textile industry and ensuring government spending benefits the local economy.

The proposed uniform review is one of several measures contained in the Federal Executive Council’s recently approved reform package for the NYSC. Other proposals include skills-based deployment of corps members, the introduction of civilian operational leadership for the scheme and amendments to the NYSC Act.