September 29, 2025
In compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, NERD, and as a mandatory requirement for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has invoked provisions in Sections 2(4)(4) and 16(1)(C) of the NYSC Act, and approved a far-reaching reform in the NYSC.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, conveyed the approval for the adjustment of the compliance directive that was contained in Item 2(ix) in an enforcement circular recently issued. “NYSC mobilization criteria in accordance with the President’s regulation requiring proof of NERD Policy compliance for all prospective Corps members, regardless of where they were educated.”
The circular issued by the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, has now clarified that, effective from October 6, no Nigerian graduate – whether from a Nigerian university, polytechnic, college of education, or an overseas institution will henceforth be mobilized for or exempted from NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.
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One of the new mandatory requirements of Nigerian students as contained in the federal government’s policy is the deposit of student’s academic outputs, which include thesis or project reports, as part of the provisions in the policy meant to check certificate racketeering and the abuse of honours conferred on individuals by academic institutions.
In Section 6.1.23 of the policy, the requirement is designed: “as a quality assurance check and as a yearly independent proof of continuous academic enrollment and affiliation” as it is expected to inviolably time-stamp scholarship, academic activities, and footprint regardless of location.
Recall that in March 2025, while issuing the declaration of effectiveness for NERD, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stated that “the approved stipulations for mandatory submission of academic outputs as provided in Sections 2.3, 4.3(1), and 7.6.11(c), among others, of the approved National Policy for the NERD Programme shall become obligatory requirements in Nigeria.
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“The NERD Policy applies in equal measures to all education delivery institutions regardless of ownership type (public, private, military or civilian) whether within or outside the direct supervision of the federal ministry of education, such as colleges or schools of nursing, agriculture, specialised research institutions and institutes, etc.”
A copy of the approved NERD policy obtained by our correspondent revealed that President Tinubu also approved an academic output monetization and reward mechanism for students and their lecturers, which Alausa proposed to the Federal Executive Council (FEC) to ensure students and lecturers can earn lifetime revenues from their academic deposits.
This step aims to safeguard the nation’s intellectual assets while restoring credibility to academic processes and qualifications.
The directive does not, however, affect serving Corps members or those enrolled before the October 6th enforcement date.
