The Federal Government has announced that compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) will become mandatory for mobilisation into, or exemption from, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) beginning October 6.
The policy, anchored on Sections 2(4)(4) and 16(1)(C) of the NYSC Act, was communicated in a circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.
NERD was introduced by the Ministry of Education as part of efforts to curb the growing abuse of academic titles and certificate racketeering. The databank requires verification of academic credentials for all staff and students across higher institutions in Nigeria.
In a follow-up directive, Nigerian students must now deposit copies of their academic outputs including theses and project reports into the repository. The measure will serve as a “quality assurance check” and provide “independent proof of continuous academic enrolment and affiliation.”
According to the circular, no graduate from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, or foreign institutions will be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without evidence of NERD compliance once the enforcement begins.
