The Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, has clarified that the Federal Government has not yet approved Adire as the new uniform for members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
This clarification came on Thursday, just hours after his earlier comments regarding the potential change sparked widespread public reaction.
In a statement released on his official X handle, Olawande explained that reports claiming Adire had been adopted to replace the iconic khaki uniform were a misrepresentation of his earlier appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.
The Minister stated, “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 further emphasized that “No final decision has been taken on the fabric or design.”
According to the Minister, the government is currently evaluating various options that “tick all the right boxes in terms of professional outlook, a unique national identity, durability, functionality, cost-effectiveness, and the projection of national pride.”
Any final decision, he noted, will be the result of extensive stakeholder consultations.
Minister Olawande urged the public to focus on the broader objectives of the ongoing reforms rather than the debate over the uniform. “
The reforms are designed to make the Scheme more relevant to today’s realities by improving employability, promoting entrepreneurship, strengthening national integration, enhancing service delivery, and creating a smoother transition from education to productive careers,” he explained.
He added that these reforms, intended to empower millions of Nigerian youths, should remain the primary focus.
The clarification follows reports that the Federal Government planned to replace the traditional khaki with locally produced Adire, a proposal that emerged after the Federal Executive Council approved a comprehensive overhaul of the 53-year-old scheme on Monday.
The broader reform package includes skills-based deployment of corps members, a transition to civilian operational leadership, and pending amendments to the NYSC Act.
