September 29, (THEWILL) — The Federal Government has directed that all prospective members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), including those seeking exemption, must submit their academic theses or project reports before mobilisation.
The policy, which takes effect from October 6, 2025, was approved by President Bola Tinubu and communicated in a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume.
According to Akume, the directive forms part of the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD) policy designed to curb certificate racketeering and strengthen academic standards.
The circular stated that compliance with the NERD policy is now a mandatory requirement for all graduates, whether trained in Nigeria or abroad.
Submissions must clearly indicate the names of the student, supervisor, head of department, and sponsoring institution.
Tertiary institutions have been instructed to establish their own repositories, while agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will provide technical support for verification.
The policy also introduces an academic output monetisation scheme, which will allow students and lecturers to generate revenue from deposited works.
The directive, however, does not apply to corps members currently serving or those mobilised before the enforcement date.
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