NYSC, Pan-Atlantic University to Launch Digital Platform for Corps Members’ Skills and Entrepreneurship

The Enterprise Development Centre of Pan-Atlantic University and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have announced plans to develop a digital platform aimed at equipping corps members with critical skills and entrepreneurship education.

The initiative follows a visit by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Nafiu, to the EDC headquarters in Lekki, Lagos, where both institutions agreed to strengthen collaboration on youth empowerment and capacity development.

Under the proposed plan, corps members will gain access to structured digital learning tools, entrepreneurial resources, and tailored training designed to align with Nigeria’s evolving labour market and growing demand for innovation-driven skills.

Speaking during the visit, the NYSC DG said the scheme’s Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) department had been repositioned to address rising youth unemployment across the country. He noted that the initiative aligns with the NYSC’s broader mandate to ensure graduates remain productive after completing formal education.

“It is part of our mandate and responsibility to tackle unemployment,” he said, adding that beyond subsidising education, government efforts must also focus on making young graduates gainfully employed and productive in society.

Nafiu explained that the NYSC had reviewed its strategy and was actively seeking strong institutional partners to restructure and redefine its programmes. He described EDC as a key partner capable of helping remodel and strengthen the scheme’s entrepreneurship framework.

He also emphasised the need to leverage technology to meet the expectations of a new generation of tech-savvy corps members, noting that traditional learning materials such as booklets were no longer sufficient for effective engagement.

Expressing optimism about the partnership, he said the collaboration would provide corps members with proper skill-learning techniques that match modern entrepreneurship requirements and enhance their employability.

The Programmes and Partnerships Director at EDC, Dr Olawale Anifowose, stated that the partnership would give corps members access to the centre’s SME toolkit and a wide range of entrepreneurial resources.

According to him, the tools will support corps members whether they choose paid employment or decide to venture into entrepreneurship, helping them build capacity and add value to Nigeria’s economy.

Anifowose also revealed that both institutions have maintained a working relationship for nearly a decade, noting that recent engagements had further strengthened the collaboration and brought it to a critical stage.

Meanwhile, the Director of the NYSC Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme, Kehinde Aremu-Cole, said the initiative has evolved significantly since its launch in 2012. He explained that while the early focus was on vocational skills, there is now greater emphasis on entrepreneurship and value chain development.

He added that the partnership with EDC has enhanced curriculum development, experience sharing, and manpower capacity through access to modern training resources and expertise.

Also speaking, EDC Director Dr Nneka Okekearu said the university leadership strongly supports youth-focused entrepreneurship initiatives, noting that the centre, which has operated for over two decades, was established to strengthen Nigeria’s entrepreneurship ecosystem and promote innovation among young people.