The Federal Government has clarified that it has not approved Adire as the new official uniform for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), following widespread reactions to earlier comments made by the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande.
Olawande issued the clarification on Thursday through a statement posted on his official X account, stressing that reports claiming the traditional khaki uniform had been replaced with Adire were inaccurate and did not reflect the true context of his interview on *Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
The minister explained that his references to Adire and Ankara during the programme were merely examples of ideas currently under consideration as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing reform of the NYSC, and not an official policy announcement.
“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 emphasised that no final decision has been reached on the type of fabric or the design that will eventually be adopted, noting that the government is evaluating several options before arriving at a conclusion.
According to him, any new uniform must satisfy key requirements, including a professional appearance, a distinct national identity, durability, practicality, affordability and the ability to project national pride.
Olawande further assured that the final decision would emerge from extensive consultations with relevant stakeholders and would be guided by what best serves the interests of both the NYSC and the nation.
The minister also urged Nigerians to focus on the broader objectives of the comprehensive reforms being introduced into the NYSC rather than allowing the debate over uniforms to dominate public discourse.
He explained that the reform agenda is aimed at making the scheme more responsive to current realities by enhancing the employability of corps members, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, improving service delivery and easing the transition of graduates from school 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 added.
The clarification came hours after reports emerged that the Federal Government had concluded plans to replace the NYSC’s signature khaki uniform with locally produced Adire as part of the far-reaching reforms recently approved for the 53-year-old scheme.
During his television appearance, Olawande had identified Adire as one of the fabrics being considered, explaining that encouraging local textile production would help retain government spending within the Nigerian economy.
Further details obtained by this online newspaper indicate that the broader NYSC reform package approved by the Federal Executive Council on Monday includes skills-based deployment of corps members, the appointment of a civilian to head the scheme operationally in place of the traditional military leadership, as well as proposed amendments to the NYSC Act.
