The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream I Orientation Course will commence nationwide on Wednesday, January 21, marking the formal entry of a new cohort of graduates into one of Nigeria’s most enduring nation-building programmes.
According to a statement released via the NYSC’s official X handle, camp registration for prospective corps members will run from Wednesday, January 21, until midnight on Friday, January 23, 2026.
The traditional swearing-in ceremony, a symbolic highlight of the orientation phase, is scheduled for Friday, January 23, while the three-week programme will officially come to an end with a closing ceremony on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, across all 37 orientation camps nationwide, including the Federal Capital Territory.
NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, used the announcement to extend goodwill to prospective corps members, urging them to prioritise safety while travelling to their states of deployment.
He specifically advised against night journeys, a reminder underscored by recurring concerns over road safety and insecurity during mobilisation periods.
The scheme’s management also emphasised the need for strict adherence to the orientation timetable to ensure a seamless and successful camp experience.
Established in 1973 in the aftermath of Nigeria’s civil war, the NYSC remains a central pillar of the country’s unity project.
The orientation course, which serves as the foundation of the service year, blends paramilitary drills, lectures on national development, cultural exchanges and the Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Beyond physical drills and parade grounds, the camp experience is designed to foster social integration, break ethnic and religious barriers, and instill a sense of collective national identity among young Nigerians.
