Brig Gen YD Ahmed holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education (History). He obtained a Master’s of Education Degree (Educational Psychology) from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria as well as a Master of Arts in Peace and Strategic Studies from the University of Ilorin. Driven by his insatiable thirst for knowledge, he went on to bag a PhD in Educational Psychology from the Nasarawa State University.

 

His military career began with his commissioning into the Nigerian Army Education Corps as a Lieutenant on 5th July 1997. In line with the Nigerian Armed Forces tradition of promoting professionalism through training and retraining of officers, he has attended several courses.

 

Courses Attended:

• Young Officers Course Infantry;
 
• Young Officers Course Education;
 
• African Mission in the Sudan (AMIS);
 
• Basic NAEC Officers Development Course;
 
• Basic System Approach to Training and Curriculum;
 
• Training Development Adviser Course;
 
• Advance NAEC Officers Course;
 
• Executive Management Course; and
 
• Course 30 of the National Defence College Nigeria.
 

His Military Postings and Assignments:

• Instructor Nigerian Military School Zaria;
 
• Staff Officer Grade 3 Education: Nigerian Military School (NMS) Zaria;
 
• Military Assistant to Director-General: National Youth Service Corps,
 
• Record Officer: The African Mission in Sudan (AMIS);
 
• Commander Operation MESA in Falgore Forest;
 
• Commandant: Command Day Secondary School Ojo; Command Day Secondary School Enugu; and Command Secondary School Ipaja, Lagos;
 
• Instructor: Nigerian Army School of Education (NASE);
 
• Chief Education Officer: 3 Brigade;
 
• General Staff Officer Grade 1 Education: Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps (NAEC); and
 
• Assistant Director Education: Army Headquarters Department of Army Training and Operations
 
• Deputy Chief of Staff G3/G7 at the Headquarters Nigerian Army Education Corps;
 
• Deputy Commandant, Nigerian Military School Zaria;
 
• Deputy Director Institute of Military History at the Nigeria Army Resource Centre.;
 
• Director Department of History, Research and Archives National Defence College of Nigeria;
 

Brig Gen YD Ahmed assumed duty as the 22nd Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps on 30th January, 2023 following his appointment by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari GCFR. He immediately unveiled the policy thrust of his administration with the following focal areas:

Director-General's Policy Thrust

• Improving security, welfare of Corps members and Staff to engender optimal service delivery to the nation;
 
• Providing enabling environment for Research and Development for the advancement of the Scheme;
 
• Strengthening stakeholders' engagement for the promotion of the frontiers of the Scheme;
 
• Enhancement of capacity building to stimulate efficiency and higher corporate performance; and
 
• Deepening the impact of the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Programme.
 

The Director-General is working assiduously with the Management team and the rest of the workforce in a bid to actualize his vision for the Scheme.

The following are part of the accomplishments made so far

• Inauguration of new Orientation Camp in Bayelsa State on 12th February 2023.
 
• Donation of 50 laptop computers to the Scheme by an NGO “What Next Africa” on 20th April 2023.
 
• Completion and equipping of the NYSC Skill Acquisition Centre in Potiskum, Yobe State, which was inaugurated on 28th April 2023.
 
• Completion and commissioning of the new ICT Centre at the NDHQ in May 2023.
 
• Successful prosecution of week-long NYSC 50th anniversary celebration in May 2023.
 
• Successful prosecution of the Presidents’ NYSC Honours Award ceremony for the 2019 set of Corps members on 18th May, 2023 with the President personally in attendance.
 
• Successful processing of automatic employment of 65 ex-Corps members into the Federal Civil Service (i.e. 52 2019 set award winners and 13 through the Hope Alive programme) in May 2023.
 
• Establishment of new State of the art studio for the NYSC Television in May 2023.
 
• Securing from the Federal Government, an upward review of funds for Orientation camp feeding and transport subsidy paid to Corps members travelling to State of deployment at the start of the Service Year and back home after service in July 2023.
 
• Boosting of the Research Division with improved staff strength.
 
• Sponsorship for ten (10) members of Staff in the Directorate Cadre to attend Non-kinetic Operations Coordination Course organized by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) from 11th to 12th September, 2023 – the first of its kind in the history of the Scheme.
 
• Capacity building training of over 2,000 members of staff.
 
• Review of the SAED implementation Framework in November 2023
 
• Increased security coverage for Corps members and staff nationwide.
 
• Participation of Corps members in the successful conduct of the 2023 General and off cycle elections.
 
• Inauguration of 48-room Corps members Lodge built by Ikwere Local Government Council in Rivers State on 21st July, 2023.
 
• Renewal of MOU with Capital Express on Corps members’ Life Insurance.
 
• Sustained implementation of National Health Insurance Scheme for Corps members nationwide.
 
• Periodic intervention in Orientation Camp development.
 
• Resumption of Orientation Camp activities in Borno State with the 2023 Batch ‘B’ Stream II – coming after many years of holding camp activities outside the State due to insecurity.
 
• Improvement of the quality of Corps members’ kit items.
 
• Resuscitation of NYSC Bus Shuttle services to cushion the effect of increase in prices of services including transportation.
 
• Funding and sustenance of the NYSC Half Hour on NTA International and continued operation of the NYSC Television and Radio as means of projecting activities of the Scheme to the public.
 
• Approval and commencement of annual conduct of Corps Employers Workshop by State Secretariats with the supervision of Area Offices.
 
• Conduct of Induction Training for newly recruited staff in October 2023 to acquaint them with the operations of the Scheme.
 
• Commencement of operation of NYSC/SDGs Secondary School in Kazaure, Jigawa State in October 2023.
 
• Securing approval for establishment of NYSC Technical College in Gombe State.
 
• Securing approval for the expansion of the Administrative Structure of the Scheme in April 2024 with the establishment of the following:
 
• Two (2) new Departments, namely NYSC Media and Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement.
 
• Six (6) new Area Offices
 
• Nineteen (19) new Divisions in the Headquarters
 
• Three (3) new Divisions in each of the Area Offices
 
• Successful conduct of the 2024 Senior Staff Promotion Exercise in May 2024 with the elevation of one thousand six hundred and eighty-three (1,683) officers to the next Grade Level.
 
• Ongoing construction of Zonal Skill Acquisition Centres in Agwu, Enugu and Kagargo, Kaduna State.
 
• Production of Corps Employers’ Manual.
 
• Ongoing production of Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Scheme.
 

He is a recipient of many awards, including:

• Commendation/Award as the best performing Commandant in the South-East and South-South by Exemplary Leadership Accolade International, Enugu (2017);
 
• Letter of Commendation by Command Secondary School Old Students Association (2019);
 
• Distinguished Gov Tech Trailblazer’s Award by the Bureau of Public Service Reforms 2023;
 
• African Youth Icon of the Year by the West African Youth Parliament;
 
• Icon of Women Empowerment in Nigeria by the National Youth for Women Empowerment and Education in Nigeria 2023; and
 
• Lifetime Achievement Award for Contributions to the Development of University Education in Nigeria on the Scheme by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities.
 

Throughout his career, Brig Gen Ahmed has demonstrated loyalty, hard work and other excellent virtues, which earned him several commendations.

Following are some of the Commendations Earned

• General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1 Division (2008);
 
• Commander Nigerian Army Education Corps (2012);
 
• General Officer Commanding 81 Division (2014);
 
• Chief of Training and Operations Commendation (2014-2016);
 
• General Officer Commanding 81 Division (2019); and
 
• NYSC National Governing Board Chairman’s Commendation (2023).
 

His decorations include:

• Forces Service Stars (FSS);
 
• Meritorious Service Star (MSS);
 
• Distinguish Service Star (DSS);
 
• Fellow National Defence College Nigeria (fdc).
 
• He is a Member of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre
 
• and Member, Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (MTRCN) amongst other professional bodies.
   

Hobbies

• playing football.
 
• jogging
 
• reading.
 
• and traveling
  .  

Family

He is happily married and blessed with children.