By Charles Pemu 
ABUJA – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a radical reform of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilization process, making compliance with the new National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) mandatory for all prospective corps members.
The move, effective October 6, means that Nigerian graduates—from both local and overseas institutions—will henceforth be denied mobilization or exemption from the NYSC without proof of NERD compliance.
The directive, conveyed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, is an aggressive step to combat certificate racketeering and safeguard the nation’s intellectual assets.
The New Academic Mandate
The reform, invoked under the NYSC Act, centers on students submitting their academic outputs, such as thesis or project reports, to the NERD databank.
- Quality Control: According to the NERD spokesperson, Haula Galadima, this requirement is a “quality assurance check” that will time-stamp academic activities and provide an independent proof of continuous academic enrollment.
- Universal Scope: The policy applies universally to all education institutions, including public, private, military, and specialized colleges, ensuring no sector is left unchecked.
- Stopping Fraud: The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, previously stated that the approved stipulations will become “obligatory requirements in Nigeria” to restore credibility to academic processes and qualifications.
Accountability and Monetary Rewards
The NERD program is designed not only as an enforcement mechanism but also as a tool to promote academic quality and reward intellectual work.
- Lecturer Accountability: By requiring the names of the student, supervisor, and Head of Department to appear next to the academic work on a globally available digital platform, the policy is set to “strengthen the supervision processes.” Galadima noted that “very few lecturers would want their names associated with poorly produced academic works,” compelling them to deliver thorough supervision.
- Monetization for Life: In a major incentive, President Tinubu approved an academic output monetization and reward mechanism. This allows students and their lecturers to earn lifetime revenues from their deposits, turning academic work into a valuable, protected asset.
The SGF circular directs full enforcement of the NERD policy, with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) required to provide data exchange support to facilitate validation. The directive, however, does not impact currently serving corps members or those already enrolled before the October 6 deadline.