NYSC slang: every word you will hear in your service year

Corper / Kopa

A serving NYSC member. Written “corper”, said “kopa”. You will hear it everywhere, from the bus park to your PPA. It is also where this game gets its name.

Otondo

Street slang for a corper, usually teasing. Walk past a market in khaki and someone will shout it.

Call-up letter

The letter that tells you which state you have been deployed to and when to report to camp. Print it: the soldier at the gate will ask for it.

Mobilisation

The whole process of registering, getting your call-up letter and being sent to camp.

Batch and stream

Corpers are mobilised in batches through the year (Batch A, B and C), and a batch can be split into streams that go to camp at different times.

State code

Your NYSC number, for example LA/25B/1234: state, year, batch and your number. You will write it on everything for a year.

Orientation camp

The three-week course that starts the service year: registration, kitting, swearing-in, drills, lectures and SAED.

Kitting

Collecting your NYSC kit at camp: khaki, crested vest, white T-shirts and shorts, jungle boots, canvas, socks, belt and cap.

Khaki

The NYSC uniform. You wear it to CDS, clearance and official events, and people will know you are a corper from a distance.

Jungle boots (JB)

The boots that come with your kit. Breaking them in during parade is a rite of passage.

Swearing-in

The ceremony early in camp where corpers take the oath and officially become corps members.

Platoon

Your group in camp. Platoons compete in drills, sports, cooking, dance and parade, and the rivalry is real.

Parade

Morning drills on the parade ground: attention, stand at ease, right turn, left turn, about turn, and practice for the passing-out ceremony.

Man O’ War

The paramilitary and adventure training sessions in camp, known for early mornings, obstacle courses and a lot of shouting.

Bugle

The sound that wakes the camp before sunrise. You will hear it in your dreams.

Mammy market

The camp market: food, drinks, phone charging, photocopies, barbing, and the best place to gist at night.

SAED

Skills Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development. Lectures and training in camp, and later during service, on skills like fashion, ICT, agriculture and cosmetology.

PPA

Place of Primary Assignment: the school, hospital, office or organisation where you work during your service year.

Posting letter

The letter you get at the end of camp that names your PPA.

Rejection letter

When a PPA says they cannot take you. You return to your LGA office for reposting.

Acceptance letter

The letter from your PPA confirming they have taken you. Submit it so your records are complete.

LGI

Local Government Inspector: the NYSC official in charge of corpers in your LGA. Your clearance, CDS and many of your questions go through the LGI.

ZI

Zonal Inspector: the NYSC official over a zone that covers several LGAs.

CDS

Community Development Service. A weekly day when corpers meet in CDS groups and work on projects for the community. Attendance counts.

Clearance

The monthly check, often with a thumbprint or biometric scan, that confirms you are at your post. No clearance can mean no allowance for that month.

Allawee

The monthly federal allowance paid to corpers. Also the reason for a lot of group-chat messages around month end.

Corpers’ lodge

Accommodation set aside for corpers in some places. Quality varies, and so do the roommates.

Redeployment

Moving to another state after camp, usually on health, marriage or security grounds and with approval.

Sapa

Being broke. Common in the days before allawee lands.

POP

Passing Out Parade: the end of the service year, when you collect your Certificate of National Service and say goodbye to khaki.

NYSC camp guide and packing list →