The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, has said all corps members are covered by a comprehensive insurance package throughout their service year.
Nafiu disclosed this in Abuja during a visit by the Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria, Mallam Jibrin Ndace.
He explained that the insurance package includes life insurance and medical care, adding that the Federal Government has put in place measures to ensure a safe and memorable service experience for corps members.
According to him, the scheme also intervenes in cases where certain ailments are not covered by health insurance.
The NYSC boss cited instances where the scheme paid ₦28m to save the life of a pregnant corps member and her unborn child after she sustained spinal cord injuries in a road accident.
He added that ₦33m was also spent to procure prosthetic arms for another corps member involved in a road traffic accident while travelling to her place of primary assignment after leaving the orientation camp.
“Since 2004, every corps member has been covered by comprehensive insurance, including health and life insurance. The National Health Insurance Authority caters for corps members whenever they fall ill,” he said.
“From the moment call-up letters are issued, before they even begin their journey from their parents’ homes, they are already covered by insurance,” he added.
Nafiu cautioned against the spread of unverified reports about the scheme and urged journalists to always verify information with the NYSC before publication.
He noted that the scheme’s posting policy is designed to address national needs, ensuring all states benefit from corps members’ contributions, particularly in healthcare and education.
He added that corps members’ involvement in national assignments such as elections, sensitisation programmes and population census exercises has been widely commended locally and internationally.
The NYSC DG also assured that corps members would not be deployed to unsafe areas, stressing that the scheme remains apolitical and non-religious in promoting national unity.
Earlier, Ndace congratulated Nafiu on his appointment and praised his leadership style.
He said the Voice of Nigeria was collaborating with international media organisations to promote positive stories about Nigeria and pledged support in projecting NYSC activities globally.
Ndace added that the agency remains committed to youth-focused programming and amplifying corps members’ contributions nationwide.
