The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has partnered with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to train corps members in Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) retrofitting as part of efforts to expand skills acquisition and create job opportunities for Nigerian youths.
This was contained in a statement on Friday, by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations of the Agency.
The partnership was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Abuja to integrate CNG retrofitting training into the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme.
Director-General of the NYSC, Olakunle Nafiu, said the scheme has the capacity to support large-scale technical training, noting that over 300,000 corps members participate annually in its in-camp SAED programme.
He disclosed that since the establishment of SAED in 2012, about 1.5 million corps members have taken part in post-camp vocational training nationwide.
Nafiu said the initiative would further equip corps members with practical and marketable skills before the completion of their service year.
“For over five decades, the NYSC has mobilised Nigerian graduates in support of national unity and development. We launched SAED because service with skills leaves corps members better prepared for the future,” he said.
He commended the Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, the Special Assistant to the President on Youth Initiatives, Titilope Gbadamosi, and the leadership of NADDC for investing in youth development.
Nafiu added that NYSC would provide its orientation camps and training centres nationwide for the programme, expressing confidence that the collaboration would produce certified CNG technicians needed to support Nigeria’s energy transition.
The Director-General of NADDC, Joseph Osanipin, said the council was fully committed to the three-year agreement and would deploy its technical expertise to ensure the training meets professional standards.
“Through this partnership, NADDC will deliver a high-quality curriculum that will produce corps members who are genuinely certified, practically competent and enterprise-ready,” he said.
Gbadamosi described the initiative as part of the Federal Government’s strategy to build certified CNG technicians while equipping young Nigerians with industry-relevant skills.
Also speaking, Olawande said the collaboration could generate up to 5,000 jobs for youths and urged stakeholders to support efforts to close skill gaps in the country.
He noted that the Federal Government’s push for CNG adoption over the past three years must include active youth participation.
“We must ensure Nigerian youths are equipped to take advantage of opportunities in the sector rather than relying on foreign expertise,” he said.
The minister praised NADDC for fully funding the programme for three years, while NYSC would provide its SAED platform to facilitate implementation across the country.