From October 6, no Nigerian graduate will be mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) without proof of submitting their final year project or thesis to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).

The new policy, approved by President Bola Tinubu and conveyed in a circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, applies to all graduates of universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and even those trained abroad. The government said the directive is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen academic integrity, curb certificate racketeering, and safeguard the nation’s intellectual property.

According to Section 6.1.23 of the NERD guidelines, the measure is a “quality assurance check” and a yearly proof of continuous academic enrolment and affiliation. NERD spokesperson, Haula Galadima, explained that each deposited work will carry the full names of the student, supervisor, co-supervisor, Head of Department, and institution. She noted that the public visibility of supervisors’ names will encourage lecturers to demand higher standards from their students, thereby improving the quality of research across the country.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier emphasised that the NERD policy was designed to raise academic standards nationwide. The framework also introduces an academic output monetisation system, allowing students and lecturers to earn lifetime revenues from their submissions. While the rule does not affect serving corps members or those mobilised before October 6, it is now an obligatory requirement for all new graduates seeking NYSC mobilisation or exemption.