My name is ForLove, a corps member that was deployed to Kogi NYSC camp in the 2025 Batch A Stream II set.
I was living in Jos, Plateau State at the time of my posting so you can imagine the disappointment I felt when I saw “Kogi” on my call-up letter. It’s not exactly what I had pictured for myself. If there’s one thing NYSC has taught many of us, it’s that your expectations rarely match reality.
In the face of that disappointment, I decided to pack my bag for Kogi NYSC camp and get this service thing done and over with. But as it turned out, the experience taught me more than I thought it would. It started out rough like most camps do but along the way, I picked up some useful tips.
I didn’t complete the three-week orientation due to health reasons so my experience may not count as a full assessment. Nevertheless, if you’re heading to the Kogi NYSC camp, I believe you can pick up a thing or two from what you’ll will read here.
A Brief Look At Kogi State
Kogi is in the North Central part of Nigeria, serving as a link between the North and the South. I was surprised to learn that the indigenes of Kogi are not Hausa, despite what their geopolitical zone might suggest. The three major tribes in the state are Okun, Igala, and Ebira. Religion is more or less evenly split between Christianity and Islam.
Agriculture is the backbone of the state’s economy with farm products like coffee, cocoa, palm oil, cashew, groundnuts, maize, cassava, yam, rice, and melon. Kogi is also rich in mineral resources such as coal, limestone, iron ore, petroleum, and tin. It houses the Ajaokuta Steel Company which is the largest iron and steel industry in Nigeria even though it hasn’t lived up to its potentials. There’s also the Obajana Cement Factory which is one of the biggest cement plants in Africa.
The NYSC camp is located in Asaya, a suburb of Kabba town. This is the Yoruba-speaking area of Kogi state known as Okun. From my short stay there, I could tell the people are warm and hospitable.
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Arrival At Kogi NYSC Camp
After a stressful journey from Jos through Abuja, I got to Kogi NYSC camp late in the night around 10pm. The moment I arrived, my bag was checked at the gate and I was handed a small slip called the “registration job sheet.”
Since registration had already closed for the day, I went straight to the pavilion (a big shed where SAED lectures are held) to write down my name and institution. This qualified me for accommodation as they assigned me a room space in one of the male hostels.
I was lucky to be able to choose my own bed from the store even though most of the good ones have already been taken. I settled for what was left and found my hostel not too far from the pavilion.
To prepare you ahead, in the hostels at Kogi NYSC camp, mosquito nets are only installed for the lower bunks. If you get a top bunk like I did, you might consider coming with your own net. And of course, there are no pillows or bed sheets so I laid mine and used my bag as a pillow. It doubled as theft prevention too. 😁
Registration and Documentation at the Orientation Camp
The next morning, we had to attend morning prayers before registration could continue. After that, we went back to the gate to start the registration process. It’s at this stage they checked my medical fitness certificate, took my temperature and blood pressure, and signed off on the job sheet.
Having passed that stage, I moved to the admin building directly in front of the gate for the next phase of registration. This is where the Kogi NYSC camp director’s office is located too. Due to the large numbers of PCMs trying to register, I waited almost the entire day before I could enter the building. I was number 947 on the queue so you can tell how exhausting that was.
It got to my turn eventually and I presented my documents for verification. The documents included my academic certificate, NYSC callup letter, green card medical fitness, addendum, and ID card. You can can refer to this guide for explanations on the required camp documents.
After the official went through my documents and was satisfied, I moved to the next stage where my identity was confirmed via biometric verification. I was given my state code and assigned to a platoon.
You would think the process is over but it isn’t yet. There was still the collection of NYSC kits and the opening of bank account for the payment of monthly allowances.
NYSC Account Opening And Kit Collection
I went to another office in the same building where I wrote down my account number for the payment of bicycle allowance. My platoon was assigned Wema Bank for NYSC account opening so I went outside where their officials were seated under a tree. I filled a few forms, submitted the required documents, and they opened an account for me. The NIN and BVN are compulsory requirements for NYSC bank account opening so make sure you come prepared.
After completing my registration, I went back to the pavilion where my platoon officer helped us open our NYSC files using some documents we got in camp and others we brought from home. After that, he told us to buy a nylon bag for collecting our NYSC kits. I got a pink one for 600 naira. Things were really expensive in Kogi NYSC camp.
My kit had a pair of oversized khaki trousers and top, two undersized white shirts, two white shorts, a decent-looking pair of white rubber shoes which were also undersized, and some bright orange jungle boots. The sizes were were clearly out place. If you take your looks seriously, you should consider getting fitting camp clothings from home.
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The Facilities at Kogi NYSC Camp
There were ten hostels in total. Six for the guys and four for the ladies. My hostel alone had 125 occupants. The facilities in Asaya camp are quite basic, which is honestly the disappointing part. The toilets are pit latrines and they’re filthy. The ladies had small buckets they used to relieve themselves before emptying them into the toilets.
The bathrooms weren’t much better either. They look old and the walls are black with dirt.
The good part though, is that there’s running water 24/7 which is rare in most camps. Electricity was fairly stable too. They had solar panels, which helped keep the lights on even when the distribution company started misbehaving.
The Food And Cost of Items at Mammy Market
I had braced myself for the worst when it came to food at NYSC camp. Nigerian public institutions don’t exactly have the best reputation in that department. But to my surprise, the food at the Kogi NYSC camp kitchen was decent.
Most of the meals were things like rice and fish, bread and tea, akara and pap, or eba with a Yoruba-style soup I still can’t name. The food wasn’t fancy but it was tasty and filling. Since I spent most of my time at the camp clinic, I didn’t have to join the food queue. The clinic staff usually helped me collect my meals. From what I observed, the queues weren’t long so people were served quickly.
There were also different food options at the mammy market for corps members who wanted variety. A plate of noodles was 2,000 naira, and rice cost around 1,500. Those were the meals I bought before I left camp.
The mammy market offers other services at different prices, though I don’t know all the rates. One I remember clearly is that charging a power bank cost 500 naira. If you plan to enjoy your time at NYSC camp, I’ll advise you to budget accordingly.
How I Exited Kogi NYSC Camp
I mentioned at the start of this article that I didn’t complete the full three-week orientation course due to health issues. I was admitted to the camp clinic for 2 days so I had to leave in order to properly take care of myself.
For those thinking of using health as an excuse to leave camp, let me be honest with you… Exiting Kogi NYSC camp this way is not easy because they’re strict about it. I suspect it’s because the State Coordinator is a medical professional.
I saw several corps members with medical reports. Some said they had high blood pressure, others mentioned appendix issues but the camp officials still denied most of them exit. They only excused a few from the strenuous activities. There was even a funny case where someone was given just one-hour exemption. 🤣
In my case, the Chief Medical Officer referred me for further treatment and approved my exit. But first, I had to write an official application. One of the corps doctors signed it and submitted it to my platoon officer, who attached it to my file.
After that, I had to meet with a team of camp officials. They asked a few questions probably to make sure I wasn’t faking it. Once they were convinced, my file was forwarded to the State Coordinator for final approval. Only then was I given a gate pass. Without that gate pass, no corps member is allowed to leave the orientation camp before it ends.
The NYSC Book Of Life
Before I left, I had to sign the “Book of Life.” It’s a big old register where every corps member in camp is required to write their name. I believe it’s a form of record-keeping to show that someone was truly present in camp at a specific time. I wrote my name, state code, and a few other details before I was cleared to leave.
Having gotten everything in check, I walked out with my bag, handed my gate pass to the soldiers at the gate and wrote down my details again. They documented everything properly, probably so no family can later accuse NYSC of losing their child during orientation.
I eventually applied for relocation to Plateau state which was approved. I continued youth service in Jos which was better for me.
Camp Tips For Prospective Corps Members
Even though I didn’t spend the full three weeks in camp, I saw enough to give you a good idea of what to expect at the Kogi orientation camp. It’s tough in some ways, yes. But if you go prepared, you’ll be fine.
Here are a few tips that you might also find useful as a prospective corps member:
Irrespective of where you are posted for NYSC, the camp activities will most likely be the same so there’s no need to act like you got a death sentence. Remember, there is option for relocation.
If your shoes don’t fit, don’t bother begging around for swaps. Just go straight to the camp store. If you haven’t worn them yet, they’ll likely give you your size.
I only used three passport photographs and three photocopies of our documents. So no need to waste money making ten copies or snapping a full album.
I hope this was helpful for someone. I wish you all a wonderful service year ahead.