Former presidential candidate and activist, Omoyele Sowore has unveiled sweeping proposals for Nigeria’s education and youth development sectors, saying he would abolish the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and scrap the current National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme if elected President.
Sowore made the declaration in a post shared on his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as key reforms aimed at expanding opportunities for young Nigerians.
According to him, the country’s tertiary institutions should be solely responsible for determining admissions, arguing that the existing centralised admission process has created an unnecessary layer of bureaucracy.
“When I become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria:
“@JAMBHQ will be abolished. Admission into tertiary institutions should be determined by the institutions themselves under a transparent, merit-based system, not by another layer of bureaucracy.”
The former presidential candidate also proposed ending the current NYSC programme and replacing it with what he called a voluntary National Job Corps.
He explained that the proposed initiative would run for two years and focus on employment, practical skills, entrepreneurship and career development for participants.
Sowore stated:
“The National Youth Service Corps @nysc_ng, in its current form, will be scrapped. In its place, we will establish a two-year, voluntary National Job Corps that guarantees participants meaningful employment, practical skills, entrepreneurship support, and pathways into permanent careers.”
He argued that compulsory national service should give way to programmes that offer young people greater economic opportunities and freedom of choice.
“Nigeria’s young people do not need more compulsory schemes. They need opportunities, jobs, skills, and the freedom to choose their future.”
The proposals are part of Sowore’s broader vision for governance as discussions ahead of Nigeria’s next general election continue. His comments have already generated reactions on social media, with supporters and critics debating the feasibility and potential impact of the suggested reforms.