How to Secure a Good PPA

Unless you want to spend your NYSC year teaching agricultural science to unbothered teenagers, you need a strategy for getting a good Primary Place of Assignment (PPA).

Here is how you secure a strong PPA during NYSC:

  • Work it from camp: Don’t wait until the last day. Talk to camp officials, join the OBS (Orientation Broadcasting Service) or the clinic, as these groups often get favorable postings.
  • Bring a Request Letter: If you have a company willing to take you, get them to write a request letter addressed to the State Coordinator before camp ends.
  • Hustle for Rejection: If you get posted to a bad PPA, respectfully ask the principal/boss to reject you. Once rejected, you can take your letter to the NYSC secretariat and look for your own PPA.
  • Leverage ‘Man-Know-Man’: Welcome to Nigeria. If you have an uncle or a mentor who knows an LGI or a company HR, now is the time to use them.

What Makes a “Good” PPA?

A good PPA isn’t just about the extra money they pay you (though that helps with Sapa). A good PPA is a place where you can learn real skills.

If you are posted to a bank, consulting firm, or a structured tech company, you are building your CV. As an HR professional, when I see a candidate who worked as an analyst during NYSC, I take them far more seriously than someone who has zero corporate experience.

Don’t settle. Your PPA can be the springboard for your entire career. If you get a bad one, hustle to change it within the first few weeks.