The federal government has introduced a new rule requiring all Nigerian graduates to submit their academic work, such as theses, dissertations, and final-year projects, before they can qualify for mobilisation or exemption under the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The directive, which takes effect from 6 October 2025, was contained in a circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), following President Bola Tinubu’s approval of the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
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According to the circular, the policy applies to graduates from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and foreign institutions. Those unable to provide proof of compliance will not be cleared for NYSC mobilisation or exemption.
Government officials explained that the measure aims to combat certificate fraud, safeguard intellectual property, and improve the quality of academic work across Nigeria’s higher institutions.
Under the new system, students must upload their final academic projects with full details, including their names, supervisors, heads of department, and institution of study.
The NERD initiative will serve as a national digital archive, enabling transparent academic record-keeping, improving institutional oversight, and strengthening the monitoring of scholarly work. It will also allow both students and lecturers to earn financial benefits through a regulated monetisation framework.
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The directive exempts serving corps members and all graduates mobilised before the October enforcement date.
With this move, the federal government says it is setting a new benchmark for accountability and integrity in Nigeria’s education sector.
