The Federal Government has introduced a new rule requiring graduates to submit their final academic projects, such as theses, dissertations, or reports, before they can be mobilised or exempted from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The directive, which takes effect on October 6, 2025, was issued in a circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, following President Bola Tinubu’s approval for the enforcement of the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
The policy applies to all graduates of Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, as well as Nigerians who studied abroad. Without proof of compliance, no graduate will be cleared for NYSC mobilisation or exemption.
According to the government, the measure is designed to: curb certificate fraud, safeguard Nigeria’s intellectual property, and enhance the quality and supervision of academic work
Under the arrangement, graduates must deposit their final projects in the NERD repository, with details including their names, supervisors, heads of department, and institutions clearly indicated.
The NERD platform will serve as a national digital archive for academic work, promoting transparency in academic records while allowing both students and lecturers to benefit financially through an approved monetisation system for deposited works.
The circular clarified that the new requirement will not affect current corps members or those already mobilised before the enforcement date.
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