October 4, 2025
The recent President Bola Tinubu’s directive, making compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, NERD, a mandatory requirement for mobilisation into, or exemption from, the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, scheme has elicited reaction from the Students’ Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups and various Students’ Union Governments, SUGs.
While some criticized its timing and feasibility, warning that it could impose additional burdens on students and institutions already struggling with limited resources others student leaders commended have commended the initiative as a bold step toward reforming Nigeria’s education system.
President of Students’ Union Government of the Federal Polytechnic, Bida, Comrade Alex Emmanuel, called for caution, especially in it implementation noting that while the policy could transform the education system, its application must be handled carefully to avoid unintended burden on students.
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He said, “The policy has potential as a reform to strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s higher education system. If implemented with adequate infrastructure, safeguards, and fairness, it could be an opportunity rather than a hurdle. But the devil is in the execution that’s where students may feel the pressure.”
Emmanuel warned that Nigeria’s history of ambitious churning out policies that often outpaces institutional capacity, cautioning that many graduates, especially from under-resourced institutions, might see the directive as an additional hardship.
For the National Coordinator, Students’ Wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Comrade Hassan Adamu, the policy is a worthy directive, stating that it is a groundbreaking effort to promote research integrity and curb academic credential fraud.
“It is a welcome development. The policy establishes a national, unified digital platform for managing, preserving, and verifying academic records and publications across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The mandatory requirement will help ensure compliance,” Adamu said.
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He explained that the platform would benefit students by giving visibility to their thesis while protecting them against intellectual property theft.
“This is an opportunity for students to showcase their work and expertise while preventing intellectual theft such as plagiarism.
He added that, “The NERD platform is user-friendly and will help reward creativity and innovation, enabling students to access grants locally and internationally.”
