The National Youth Service Corps has reaffirmed its ambition to lead youth economic transformation across the African continent, with its Director General outlining plans to evolve the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme into a national platform for innovation, digital inclusion and enterprise growth.

Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu made the declaration during a keynote address at an interactive session between NYSC top management and stakeholders held at the Nigerian Army Resource Centre, Abuja.

Gen Nafiu traced the origins of the SAED programme to 2012, describing its trajectory as a deliberate shift from producing job seekers to cultivating job creators among corps members nationwide.

"Since the introduction of SAED in 2012, the programme has been instrumental in shifting the narrative from job seeking to job creation and in exposing Corps Members to vocational skills, entrepreneurship training, and enterprise opportunities," he stated.

The Director General noted that the scheme's ongoing SAED strategy aligns with proposed Federal Government reforms, positioning the programme as both a skills centre and a springboard for entrepreneurship and digital inclusion.

"The proposed Federal Government reforms align perfectly with the Scheme's ongoing strategy for SAED, which makes it not only a skills centre but also a springboard for entrepreneurship, innovation, and digital inclusion," he said.

Gen Nafiu called for deeper collaboration with stakeholders in artificial intelligence, automation, robotics, digital platforms, remote work, green technologies and the creative economy, describing these sectors as actively redefining the skills required to succeed in the modern workforce. He cited a recent partnership between NYSC and the Enterprise Development Centre of Pan Atlantic University, Lagos, as a model for future engagements.

He charged that the SAED curriculum must be future focused, with emphasis on digital skills, financial technology, agribusiness, renewable energy, manufacturing and other high growth sectors. The Director General also urged stakeholders to prioritise evidence driven resolutions supported by credible data documenting businesses established, jobs created, incomes generated and lives transformed.

The Acting Director of SAED, Mrs Winifred Shokpeka, disclosed that the programme received cumulative funding of ₦283,911,000 in loans and grants to support corps entrepreneurs between 2017 and 2023, drawing contributions from the Bank of Industry, Access Bank, Central Bank of Nigeria, Unity Bank, Wema Bank, Fidelity Bank and several other public and private partners.

Mrs Shokpeka stressed the urgency of adopting a standardised, data driven operating model to eliminate inconsistencies, strengthen accountability and ensure every intervention within the programme is measurable and transparently reported