Kogi Govt Deepens Partnership With NYSC At 2026 Corps Employers’ Workshop

By

Taiye Bayode

As part of Kogi’s abiding commitment to the welfare and development of young Nigerians serving in the state, and in recognition of the vital role Corps Members play in driving service delivery across public and private institutions, the State Government, through the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, participated in the 2026 Corps Employers’ Workshop organised by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The workshop which took place at the NYSC Hall, State Secretariat, Lokoja, themed “Functioning Stakeholders’ Collaboration to Enhance Corps Members’ Welfare and Workplace Experience,” brought together representatives of ministries, departments, agencies, and other organisations, as part of NYSC’s ongoing engagement with employers to strengthen the one-year mandatory service scheme for Nigerian graduates.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Alh. Muhammed Muktar Shuaibu, represented by the Director, Administration, Mr Ejeh Michael, was part of the dignitaries in attendance at the programme, who commended NYSC for the initiative, while describing continuous engagement between employers and the Scheme as very vital to resolving field-level challenges before they escalate.

Michael who reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing a conducive working environment for corps members posted to its various departments, also pledged that the Ministry will continue cooperate with NYSC in addressing welfare concerns as they arise.

In response, NYSC officials used the opportunity to reiterate the Scheme’s guidelines on relocation, clarifying that requests for transfer from one state to another are only considered on strict grounds of ill health, marriage, or genuine security concerns, and urged employers to continue reporting such cases through appropriate channels rather than resolve them informally.

A key highlight of the workshop was an interactive technical session, during which representatives of corps-employing organisations, including the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, engaged directly with NYSC management on recurring challenges affecting the placement and welfare of corps members.

Issues raised during the session included cases of corps members who default on attendance at their places of primary assignment, as well as instances of corps members relocating from their assigned duty posts without proper authorisation.

The session formed part of NYSC’s broader objective of fostering coherent, results-driven dialogue between the Scheme and corps-employing organisations, with outcomes expected to feed into recommendations for improving the overall welfare and workplace experience of corps members posted across the state.

The engagement aligns with the State Government’s broader agenda of investing in the state’s human capital and youth development, and its continued support for federal institutions working to improve the experience of young Nigerians undergoing national service across the state.