The National Youth Service Corps, a Nigerian government agency responsible for deploying graduates for national service, has officially announced the commencement date for the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream One Orientation Course across the country.
In a statement released on Tuesday via its verified account on X, the National Youth Service Corps disclosed that the orientation exercise would begin simultaneously in all thirty-six states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on Wednesday, 21 January 2026.
According to the statement, “Camp Registration for all Corps Members will take place from Wednesday, 21st to midnight of Friday 23rd, January, 2026.
“The Swearing-in Ceremony holds on Friday, 23rd January, 2026, while the Closing Ceremony will take place on Tuesday, 10th February, 2026.”
Okay News reports that the orientation programme is a mandatory three-week exercise that marks the formal entry of prospective corps members into Nigeria’s national service scheme.
Reacting to the announcement, the Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, extended goodwill messages to all incoming corps members as they prepare for deployment across Nigeria’s diverse regions.
He specifically advised participants to prioritize safety during transit, urging them to avoid travelling at night while heading to their assigned states of service.
The management of the National Youth Service Corps also emphasized the importance of strict adherence to the official orientation schedule, noting that compliance would ensure a smooth, orderly, and successful programme nationwide.
Established in 1973 following the Nigerian Civil War, the National Youth Service Corps scheme was created to foster national unity, reconciliation, and integration among young Nigerians from different ethnic, religious, and cultural backgrounds.
During the orientation period, corps members undergo paramilitary drills, lectures on national development and civic responsibilities, skills training under the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, and cultural exchange activities aimed at strengthening interpersonal relationships and mutual understanding across Nigeria.
