Graduates seeking mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) will now have to meet fresh conditions introduced by the Federal Government, linking the process to compliance with the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD) policy.
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The directive, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and issued through a circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, is scheduled to take effect from October 6, 2025.
Under the new arrangement, no graduate of Nigerian or foreign universities will be mobilised or granted exemption from NYSC without providing proof of NERD compliance.
The policy requires students to deposit their final projects, theses, dissertations, and other academic works in the national databank. Each submission must be properly documented with the student’s name, supervisor, Head of Department, and institution.
Officials explained that the measure serves as a safeguard against certificate fraud, while also acting as proof of academic enrolment and a means of preserving the country’s intellectual assets.
Beyond curbing malpractice, the databank is also expected to raise academic standards by making lecturers accountable through their association with student submissions on a global platform. It further introduces a monetisation scheme where both students and lecturers can earn lifetime royalties from their deposited works.
The new directive applies to all prospective corps members beginning from October 6, 2025, regardless of whether they studied in Nigeria or abroad. However, serving corps members and graduates who completed their studies before the enforcement date will not be affected.
All tertiary institutions across the country, public or private, civilian or military, are directed to establish local repositories in line with the NERD policy.
