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Psychological Impact and Long-term Consequences
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was envisioned as a patriotic rite of passage, an institutional bridge between academic life and national contribution. But for many young Nigerians, the reality has been more traumatic than transformative. The program’s increasingly dysfunctional execution has birthed a psychological crisis that rarely makes headlines yet festers silently beneath the surface. What was once a platform for unity has evolved into a pressure cooker of stress, mental fatigue, and in many cases, long-term psychological harm.
Recent studies have begun to quantify what former corps members have been reporting anecdotally for years: the NYSC experience is a mental health hazard. A groundbreaking study by Amoko et al. (2021) found that 50.4% of corps members exhibited moderate to severe symptoms of anxiety during their service year. These findings were corroborated by Nwajei et al. (2021), who identified depressive symptoms in nearly 60% of participants screened within three months of beginning service. These numbers, disturbingly high, rival PTSD rates reported in soldiers returning from conflict zones, and they are not accidental.
Unlike the structured resilience training given to military personnel, young graduates are thrust into unfamiliar regions, often lacking basic amenities, proper healthcare, or even emotional support structures. James and James (2020) argue that PTSD-like symptoms are not uncommon among corps members, especially those posted to volatile or deeply under-resourced regions. The psychological toll begins at the orientation camps—locations often marred by overcrowding, poor sanitation, and a militarized routine. This harsh environment is compounded by the lack of meaningful engagement or purposeful deployment, which fosters a persistent sense of disillusionment and helplessness.
Corps members deployed as ad-hoc teachers or community workers often face additional emotional strain. Ehigbor (2023) reports that corps members teaching in secondary schools without training or mentorship often encounter disrespect, overwhelming workloads, and cultural hostility. The mismatch between their academic backgrounds and their roles further erodes their confidence and sense of purpose, leading to what Ojapinwa (2020) calls “self-efficacy erosion”—a condition that drastically diminishes the psychological readiness of graduates for future employment or civic engagement.
Read also: Beyond NYSC: Why Nigeria Must End Youth Service—Part 9
The mental health burden is not just limited to stress and anxiety; it cascades into deeper emotional fatigue and social withdrawal. Bisji et al. (2021), in their study on psychological distress among national security corps, draw parallels between institutional neglect and burnout. The same mechanisms apply to NYSC members: erratic stipends, inadequate housing, and the absence of structured psychosocial support collectively contribute to what can be termed “institutionalized trauma.”
The exclusionary practices of NYSC also leave deep emotional scars. Ahimie et al. (2024) examined the mental toll on graduates of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) institutions, who, despite meeting academic benchmarks, are denied participation in NYSC. Many of these students reported symptoms of depression and marginalization. Ottuh (2021) further contextualized this psychological frustration as a systemic exclusion that violates the principle of national equity, embedding resentment and social isolation in the very individuals the program claims to unify.
The impact on women is equally grave and often overlooked. Omunakwe and Odeyemi (2023) highlight how female corps members are rarely offered access to comprehensive reproductive health information or counseling services. This neglect has both physical and emotional consequences, especially for women posted in rural areas where such services are scarce. Without access to preconception care or sexual health education, many experience chronic anxiety about their well-being and safety throughout their service year.
Compounding this emotional burden is the failure of NYSC’s developmental promises. The SAED (Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development) initiative, originally designed to empower corps members through vocational training, has often been a source of further frustration. Muogbo et al. (2021) report that poor funding, unqualified instructors, and irrelevant curriculum content leave many participants feeling scammed rather than skilled. When expectations of self-empowerment are dashed, corps members internalize failure, leading to long-term disillusionment.
Owan et al. (2022), using a large evaluation dataset, noted that fewer than 30% of respondents felt the NYSC helped them achieve any of its cardinal objectives, including skill acquisition, national integration, or professional development. Such systemic disappointment breeds emotional fatigue. Similarly, Olofinyehun et al. (2023) observed that longitudinal exposure to the NYSC scheme often coincided with increased stress scores and reduced entrepreneurial enthusiasm among young graduates.
The structural disconnect between education and deployment also feeds psychological frustration. Okafor et al. (2020) found that graduates placed in roles unrelated to their field of study reported lower motivation, increased absenteeism, and deep feelings of underachievement. Oboreh and Emmanuel (2020) argue that this mismatch kills creativity and diminishes what they term “mental capital”—a society’s most valuable human asset.
The NYSC’s own messaging, which emphasizes civic duty and national unity, becomes paradoxical when weighed against these lived realities. Corps members expected to serve as symbols of national hope are often treated with administrative indifference. Amoo (2022) noted how corps members during the COVID-19 pandemic were made to adhere strictly to protocols without corresponding improvements in camp hygiene or safety, an imbalance that further deepened mistrust and anxiety.
Corps members often feel like tokens in community outreach roles. Okafor and Owolade (2023) note that many NYSC-led projects are poorly supervised, underfunded, and politically motivated. This leaves corps members feeling expendable and emotionally numb, with long-term effects on civic trust and national engagement.
The psychological impact of NYSC is considerable. Corps members experience anxiety, depression, burnout, and social withdrawal, which the state does not adequately address through mental health services. This issue presents an ethical challenge.
For Nigeria to utilize its human capital effectively, it should prioritize corps members’ mental health alongside physical security and infrastructure. In its current form, NYSC affects emotional well-being and requires reform to ensure positive participation from future generations.
References
Ahimie, B., Adeyemi, T. and Okoro, J., 2024. ODL student exclusion from NYSC and mental toll. Shodh Sari – An International Multidisciplinary Journal.
Amoko, A., Ayodapo, A.O., Dele, T.O. and Abitare, H., 2021. The prevalence of anxiety symptoms and associated factors among Nigerians newly posted for National Youth Service Corps programme. Research Journal of Health Sciences.
Amoo, S.O., 2022. Camp responses to COVID-19 and anxiety. GET Journal of Biosecurity and One Health.
Bisji, J.S., Okoro, A. and Nwankwo, L., 2021. Job satisfaction and psychological distress among security corps. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences.
Ehigbor, B.O., 2023. Assessment of practical teaching difficulties among NYSC members. International Journal of Education, Humanities and Social Science.
Emorinken, A., Aikhuomogbe, O., Eigbe, B., Usman, S. and Isuekebhor, C., 2022. Morbidity patterns in NYSC orientation camps. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health.
James, O.A. and James, U., 2020. PTSD in Nigerian soldiers and implications for NYSC mental resilience. Unpublished military psychology report.
Muogbo, U.S., Eze, S.U. and Obananya, C.G., 2021. Skill acquisition and youth restiveness: Role of NYSC. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Educational Research (IJMER), 3(4), pp.161–174.
Nwajei, A., Okonkwo, C., Salami, R. and Balogun, A., 2021. Screening for depression among recent Nigerian graduates. Nigerian Journal of Clinical Practice, 24, pp.1385–1390.
Oboreh, J. and Emmanuel, A., 2020. Creativity and mental capital in NYSC graduates. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 26.
Odega, C.C. and Mofolorunsho, K.C., 2020. Disease prevalence in NYSC camp. Central African Journal of Public Health, 6(6), p.346.
Okafor, I., Sadiq, H. and Adebola, T., 2020. Innovation and employability of NYSC members. The New Educational Review.
Okafor, P. and Owolade, A., 2023. NYSC community involvement and mental outlook. American Journal of Public Policy and Administration.
Olofinyehun, A., Adeyeye, J., Egbetokun, A., Olomu, M., Oluwadare, J., Sanni, M. and Orisadare, M., 2023. Longitudinal assessment of NYSC entrepreneurship impact. Research Data Journal for the Humanities and Social Sciences.
Omunakwe, P.C. and Odeyemi, K.A., 2023. Preconception health knowledge among female NYSC members. Journal of Community Medicine and Primary Health Care.
Ottuh, J.A., 2021. Exclusion from NYSC and psychological frustration. Societies Journal, 1(2).
Ojapinwa, A., 2020. Self-efficacy and graduate stress outcomes. Lagos Journal of Educational Research and Human Resource Management (LJERHRM), 2, pp.158–171.
Owan, V.J., Emanghe, E.E., Akpan, S.M. and Ikutal, A., 2022. Evaluation dataset on NYSC objectives. F1000Research, 11, p.652.
