Orientation camp is only three weeks. The rest of your service year is built around three things: your PPA, your CDS, and SAED.

PPA — Place of Primary Assignment

Your PPA is the organisation you work for during service — a school, hospital, government office, company or NGO.

  • Report to your PPA with your posting letter as soon as possible after camp.
  • Your employer signs an acceptance letter. If they reject you, return to the NYSC office for re-posting.
  • You're expected to work there regularly, just like staff.

CDS — Community Development Service

CDS is a compulsory weekly activity where corps members work on projects that improve their host community.

  • You'll join a CDS group — for example health, education, environment, road safety, or anti-corruption.
  • Groups meet once a week (your "CDS day").
  • You can also do a personal CDS project — building, renovating or donating something useful to the community.

CDS attendance counts towards your clearance, so don't skip it.

SAED — Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development

SAED starts in camp and continues after it. The goal is to help you become self-reliant.

  • Skills training: things like fashion design, catering, ICT, agriculture, cosmetology and more.
  • Entrepreneurship training: business planning, financial literacy and how to access funding.

Monthly clearance

Every month you must be cleared by your PPA and your LGI. No clearance, no allowance — so keep your records clean and attend CDS.

Read next: how to budget your NYSC allowance.