The cognitive and mental health impact of national youth service corp scheme on Nigerian Youths: A review

Abstract

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme developed in 1973, represents a government-led effort to strengthen social cohesion and enhance the personal and professional growth of young Nigerians across diverse regions. While the program has contributed to social integration and skill-building among young graduates, its cognitive and mental health effects remain underexplored. This review investigates how the NYSC experience impacts the cognitive growth and psychological well-being of Nigerian youths. We explore the effects of relocation, unfamiliar environments, and service demands on learning processes, emotional adaptation, and stress. This review identifies both the positive and negative psychological outcomes of the scheme. Findings indicate that while the program encourages independence, resilience, and intergroup learning, it can also expose participants to anxiety, emotional fatigue, and adjustment difficulties, especially in insecure or resource-poor regions. We recommend that mental health support be integrated into the NYSC structure, and that future policy reforms consider the psychological needs of corps members. This review adds to our understanding of how the NYSC scheme influences not just social identity, but also cognitive and emotional development in a key demographic.