Students must submit final year projects for NYSC mobilisation – FG
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved sweeping changes to the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation process, making adherence to the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a mandatory requirement for all graduates seeking either mobilisation into, or exemption from, the NYSC scheme.
This directive is backed by Sections 2(4)(4) and 16(1)(C) of the NYSC Act and was formally conveyed through a circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
The enforcement, listed as Item 2(ix) in the circular, stipulates that all prospective Corps members—regardless of whether they studied in Nigeria or abroad must now show proof of compliance with the NERD policy.
One of the central requirements of the NERD policy is the submission of academic work—including final-year projects, theses, and other scholarly outputs—by Nigerian students. This move is intended to serve as a national quality assurance mechanism and a reliable indicator of academic engagement over time.
Section 6.1.23 of the policy explains this as a tool to “time-stamp” academic involvement, helping to preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s educational qualifications while curbing certificate fraud and the misuse of honorary academic titles.
In a prior statement from March 2025, Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa confirmed that the submission of such academic materials would become compulsory under provisions outlined in various sections of the NERD policy, including 2.3, 4.3(1), and 7.6.11(c).
According to the SGF’s circular, the new rule takes effect from October 6, 2025. From that date onward, no Nigerian graduate—whether from a local university, polytechnic, college of education, or an international institution—will be processed for NYSC or granted exemption without meeting NERD compliance requirements.
The new directive is part of a broader federal strategy to protect Nigeria’s academic integrity, restore trust in higher education credentials, and ensure greater oversight of academic production.
President Tinubu has also approved a monetisation and reward scheme for academic contributions submitted to NERD.