The Federal Government has announced a stricter enforcement of the “No NERD, No NYSC” rule, making compliance with the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) compulsory for graduates seeking mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the policy is aimed at strengthening academic accountability and tackling certificate fraud across Nigeria’s education system.
According to the directive, graduates must upload their academic works, including final-year projects and theses, into the national repository before they can be processed for NYSC mobilisation or granted exemption.
The policy is tied to the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, a digital platform designed to store and verify academic outputs produced by Nigerian students and researchers.
Government officials say the requirement will help ensure the authenticity of academic qualifications and prevent abuse of academic titles and certificates.
According to an earlier circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, “NYSC mobilisation criteria have been adjusted… requiring proof of compliance with the NERD Policy from all prospective corps members.”
Under the directive, “no Nigerian graduate, whether trained locally or abroad, will be mobilised for or exempted from the NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.”
Officials say the repository will serve as a national databank for academic records, allowing institutions and government agencies to verify educational histories and reduce certificate racketeering.
Authorities also clarified that the rule applies to all higher institutions, including universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, while graduates already serving in the NYSC before the policy’s enforcement are not affected.
The government maintains that the move is part of broader reforms aimed at improving the credibility and transparency of Nigeria’s education system.
