In a landmark ruling, the Federal High Court in Abuja has declared that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) must allow female corps members to wear skirts as part of their official uniform if it aligns with their religious beliefs.
Justice Hauwa Yilwa, delivering judgment on June 13, 2025, held that the NYSC’s trousers-only policy for female members is unconstitutional and violates fundamental rights enshrined in Section 38(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees freedom of religion and human dignity.
The case was brought before the court by two former corps members, Miss Ogunjobi Blessing and Miss Ayuba Vivian, who filed separate but similar suits challenging the NYSC’s refusal to permit female participants to wear skirts. The suits, FHC/ABJ/CS/989/2020 and FHC/ABJ/CS/988/2020, were later consolidated due to their shared legal arguments.
Citing Deuteronomy 22:5 from the Bible, the applicants argued that wearing trousers violates their Christian faith, which discourages women from wearing attire traditionally associated with men.
The court granted all reliefs sought by the applicants, which included:
A declaration that NYSC’s refusal to permit skirts infringed upon their constitutional rights to freedom of religion.
An order directing NYSC to allow skirts as part of the official uniform for any female corps member with genuine religious objections.
A directive to recall the affected former corps members and issue them their NYSC discharge certificates.
An award of ₦500,000 in damages to each applicant for the harassment, humiliation, and degrading treatmentsuffered during their service.
Although the applicants had sought ₦10 million in compensation each, the court awarded ₦500,000, deeming it adequate under the circumstances.
This judgment marks a major victory for religious freedom in Nigeria and is likely to set a precedent for future challenges to uniform or institutional policies that conflict with personal faith-based practices.
Legal analysts believe the ruling could prompt a broader review of NYSC dress code policies and spark national conversation around faith-based accommodation in public institutions.
As of now, the NYSC and its Director-General, listed as respondents in the case, have not issued an official response to the court’s directive.
