Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has declared that he would abolish the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and dismantle the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in their present forms if elected President of Nigeria.
Sowore made the declaration in a statement posted on his X account on Wednesday, unveiling far-reaching reforms aimed at removing what he described as bureaucratic barriers in the education sector and replacing compulsory national service with a voluntary, employment-driven programme for young Nigerians.
The former presidential candidate argued that tertiary institutions should independently determine admissions through transparent and merit-based procedures instead of relying on a central examination body.
“When I become President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) will be abolished,” Sowore stated.
“Admission into tertiary institutions should be determined by the institutions themselves under a transparent, merit-based system, not by another layer of bureaucracy.”
He maintained that the existing admission framework imposes needless obstacles on students and institutions, insisting that universities, polytechnics and colleges of education possess the capacity to regulate their admission processes without external interference.
Sowore also announced plans to scrap the NYSC in its current structure, arguing that Nigerian youths need jobs, practical skills and economic opportunities rather than compulsory national service.
Under his proposal, the scheme would be replaced with a voluntary two-year National Job Corps designed to guarantee employment opportunities, entrepreneurship support, vocational training and pathways to long-term careers.
“The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), 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 said.
“Nigeria’s young people do not need more compulsory schemes. They need opportunities, jobs, skills, and the freedom to choose their future.”
The proposal has reignited national debate over the future of JAMB and the NYSC, two long-standing federal institutions that have frequently faced criticism over allegations of inefficiency, bureaucratic bottlenecks, funding challenges and questions surrounding their relevance in tackling educational and youth unemployment problems in contemporary Nigeria.
The renewed conversation comes amid recent reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which approved what officials described as the most comprehensive restructuring of the NYSC since its establishment 53 years ago.
Among the changes is the extension of the orientation programme for corps members from three weeks to six weeks, alongside a technology-driven call-up process intended to enhance transparency and efficiency.
The reforms also provide for risk-sensitive deployment of corps members, skills-based primary assignments aligned with academic qualifications and career aspirations, and the introduction of civilian operational leadership while the military continues to provide security support within orientation camps.
Other measures approved by the Federal Executive Council include improved camp facilities through a national grading and certification framework, the replacement of the traditional Passing Out Parade with a new graduation ceremony, and the adoption of redesigned NYSC uniforms intended to reflect professionalism and national pride.
Sowore’s proposals, however, represent a far more radical departure from existing policy, seeking to replace mandatory participation with a voluntary framework centred on employment creation, skills acquisition and entrepreneurship development.
The debate over the future of both institutions is expected to intensify as questions persist over graduate unemployment, educational access, national integration and the evolving needs of Nigeria’s growing youth population.