Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, has urged National Youth Service Corps members posted to the state to prioritise entrepreneurship over the pursuit of scarce white collar jobs once their service year ends. The Governor made the call on Tuesday while declaring open the 2026 NYSC Corps Employers Workshop in Uyo, themed "Fine Tuning Stakeholders' Collaboration to Enhance Corps Members' Welfare Experience."

Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development, Dr Ekerette Ekanem, Eno maintained that entrepreneurial skills would position graduates to become employers of labour and attain financial independence. He pointed corps members towards the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, remarking that Nigeria's growing population and limited resources make self employment increasingly necessary.

"Today, being an employer of labour, an entrepreneur pays better than a white collar job. Corps members must strive to become employers of labour rather than job seekers," Eno stated. "We are in a society where the population keeps increasing while we have limited resources, so I strongly commend the SAED scheme of the NYSC, which is aimed at making our young people become employers and independent rather than job seekers."

The Governor commended corps members serving across Akwa Ibom for their dedication, disclosing that a Corps Member who served at the Comprehensive Secondary School, Okobo, had received the State Award for Excellence a day earlier. "Let this serve as encouragement to all corps members serving in Akwa Ibom and across Nigeria," he added.

Director General of the NYSC, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, represented by the Director of the NYSC South South Area Office II, Mr Godfrey Nwaje, described corps employers as critical partners in the scheme's success. He urged them to provide supportive work environments, mentorship, and adequate welfare, reminding them of obligations covering accommodation, transport, healthcare, security, and participation in Community Development Service. "We must continue to foster workplaces that are respectful, supportive, and free from all forms of discrimination, exploitation, harassment, and abuse," Nafiu noted.

Akwa Ibom State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Ngozi Akuagbaogu, explained that the annual workshop was organised to strengthen collaboration between the scheme, corps employers, and other stakeholders, adding that it would help assess challenges and improve productivity and welfare among serving corps members.