The Federal Government has announced that the National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, traditional khaki uniform will be replaced with Adire fabric as part of ongoing reforms.

Minister of Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande, announced this on Thursday when he appeared on Channels Television’s ‘The Morning Brief’.

Olawande noted that the decision is part of broader efforts by the government to strengthen local production and ensure public spending directly supports Nigeria’s economy.

According to him, the new uniform would be produced locally, noting that Adire is already widely manufactured in different parts of the country.

“It’s Adire. So, Adire is being produced in Nigeria. We have them in Ogun, we have them in Kwara, we have textile industry. Let’s put our money back into the country,” he said.

The minister added that the move is designed to boost indigenous industries, especially Nigeria’s textile sector, while promoting local craftsmanship through government-backed demand.

Beyond the uniform change, the minister disclosed that the Federal Government is also restructuring the NYSC posting system to ensure corps members are deployed based on their professional backgrounds and areas of study.

Super Falcons head coach Justine Madugu has acknowledged the immense pressure on his team as they prepare for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which also serves as a qualifier for the World Cup.

Madugu, who took the helm in 2024 after serving as an assistant to Randy Waldrum, led Nigeria to their 10th WAFCON title last year in Morocco. His success earned him a nomination for the 2025 Ballon d’Or Johan Cruyff Award.

With the stakes even higher for the upcoming tournament, Madugu admits the pressure is greater than ever.

The four semi-finalists will secure automatic qualification for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. Meanwhile, the quarter-final losers will get a second chance through a FIFA play-off tournament.

The former Adamawa United coach stressed the weight of expectation on the reigning champions.

“We are holding something precious that everybody wants, but we will remain resolute and focused and try as much as possible to achieve both objectives. So, there’s a huge burden on us,” he stated.
“We need to be careful with what we do wherever we are because we must set a good example and try to be exemplary in everything we do,” Madugu concluded.

The Super Falcons have been placed in Group C for the 2026 WAFCON, alongside Zambia and Malawi. Their campaign will kick off against the Scorchers of Malawi on July 28th at Stade El Barid.

The Democratic Republic of Congo’s World Cup journey ended in heartbreak, compounded by the shocking news of manager Sebastien Desabre’s personal loss, which was announced during his post-match press conference in Atlanta.

Following a hard-fought 2-1 defeat by England in the round of 32, Desabre was fielding questions from the media when a team official unexpectedly shared the tragic news about his father’s passing.

In a moment that quickly went viral, the DR Congo communications manager concluded the press conference by stating, “Thank you. However, we are informing you that the coach has lost his father; our sincere condolences.”

Desabre, who appeared visibly taken aback, paused before quietly responding, “Merci,” and then left the room at the Mercedes-Benz Arena. It was not immediately clear if he had been previously informed of the news.

Against England, DR Congo took a first-half lead through Brian Cipenga and nearly doubled it when Newcastle’s Yoane Wissa struck the post.

Despite a heroic performance from goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, two goals from Harry Kane ultimately ended their campaign.

Despite the result, Desabre expressed pride in his team’s performance. “We’re disappointed because we believed we could do it,” he said.

“Perhaps we lacked a bit of experience at the end, but that’s football. We learn, we continue to improve, and we move forward calmly.”

“We fought like the Congolese people. We played good football today against one of the best teams in the world. That’s what we’ll remember,” he added.

Burnley defender Axel Tuanzebe echoed the sentiment of a missed opportunity. “Ultimately, we’re kicking ourselves more so because we felt we should’ve definitely held out on the game,” he commented.

“Probably should’ve finished it in the first half as well, but it was unfortunate it was not meant to be for us today. We’ll look at this and think about how we can build for future tournaments.”