The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, has called on the scheme’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) officers to be more proactive in protecting its digital infrastructure from growing cyber threats. He said this is essential for aligning with global best practices and safeguarding the NYSC’s digital assets.
General Nafiu made the remarks in Abuja on Monday at the opening of the 2025 ICT Officers’ Technical Capacity Building Workshop. Speaking through Dr. Ahmed Wada Ikaka, the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, he emphasized that ICT officers are central to the NYSC’s mission, acting as “gatekeepers of system integrity” and ensuring the seamless operation of all processes.
General Nafiu challenged the officers to view the workshop as a crucial platform for skill renewal and capacity enhancement. “I challenge you all to a wake-up call to excellence,” he said, urging them to rethink how they secure digital assets in an age of heightened cyber vulnerability. He also stressed the need to standardize processes across all states to ensure the scheme operates with “one technological voice” and to embrace a culture of innovation that extends beyond problem-solving to value creation.
In her welcome address, Mrs. Arunah Aminat, the Director of ICT, explained that the workshop was organized to address identified performance gaps and equip officers with the necessary skills to handle evolving IT trends. She highlighted that ICT officers are key enablers of the NYSC’s digital infrastructure, and their actions directly affect service delivery and operational credibility.
The workshop, themed “IT Proficiency: Strengthening ICT Officers’ Capacity for Technical Support and System Administration,” was attended by all 36 NYSC ICT desk officers from across the country, including the FCT secretariat and colleagues from the National Directorate Headquarters in Abuja.
