The National Youth Service Corps has reopened its remobilisation portal for corps members who absconded from service, marking a significant administrative intervention aimed at resolving long-standing service irregularities within the scheme. The decision, announced by the NYSC management, provides a narrow but critical window for affected graduates to regularise their status and complete the mandatory national service.
The development has generated widespread attention across the country, particularly among graduates whose academic progression, employment prospects, or professional registration have remained stalled due to incomplete NYSC service. For many of them, the reopening of the portal represents a long-awaited opportunity to correct past lapses and reintegrate into the national service framework.
Under the remobilisation exercise, the NYSC is targeting corps members who were previously mobilised but failed to complete their one-year service. In official terms, such individuals are classified as absconded corps members, regardless of whether their exit from service was prompted by insecurity, personal hardship, health challenges, or other circumstances not formally recognised by the Scheme at the time.
The NYSC has clarified that the exercise is not open to graduates who were never mobilised, nor does it apply to those who possess valid exemption certificates. It is strictly designed for individuals whose records already exist within the NYSC system but remain unresolved due to service abandonment. Corps members who had earlier applied for remobilisation in previous batches but failed to report or complete documentation are also required to reapply during the current exercise.
Registration for the remobilisation is time-bound, with the Scheme stressing that applications submitted outside the approved window will not be considered. The NYSC has historically enforced strict deadlines for such exercises, and officials have advised eligible applicants to complete their registration promptly and accurately to avoid disqualification.
A central component of the remobilisation process is financial accountability. The Scheme has reaffirmed that corps members who received monthly allowances during their initial service period are required to refund those payments before their applications can be approved. According to NYSC officials, this measure is intended to uphold transparency and protect public funds, ensuring that allowances are not retained by individuals who did not fulfil their service obligations.
Refunds are to be processed strictly through official NYSC platforms, and any payments made outside approved channels will not be recognised. Applicants who fail to meet this requirement will not be cleared for remobilisation, regardless of other documentation submitted.
Following successful registration and verification, approved applicants will be redeployed to states where they are expected to complete the outstanding portion of their service. The NYSC has indicated that remobilised corps members will be subject to the same rules, discipline, and code of conduct as newly mobilised participants. While the duration of service typically reflects the remaining months from the original service year, corps members may also be required to participate in orientation or administrative activities as directed.
The reopening of the remobilisation portal underscores the NYSC’s effort to strike a balance between enforcing discipline and offering rehabilitation. While absconding remains a violation of Scheme regulations, the current exercise reflects an acknowledgment of the complex realities that have affected national service participation in recent years, including insecurity, economic pressure, and misinformation.
Beyond individual beneficiaries, the move is expected to have broader implications for Nigeria’s labour market and education sector. Employers, tertiary institutions, and professional bodies continue to rely heavily on NYSC certification as a prerequisite for engagement, and the remobilisation exercise provides a pathway for affected graduates to meet these statutory requirements.
As the registration window progresses, the NYSC has cautioned applicants against submitting false information or attempting to bypass established procedures. Officials warn that any form of misrepresentation could result in permanent disqualification from the Scheme.
