The Federal Government has mandated that all final-year students must submit their project reports before being mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), a directive set to begin on October 6, 2025.
This new regulation follows the approval from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who endorsed a reform within the NYSC Act to enforce compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
The policy requires students to upload academic works, such as thesis and project reports, into a national database. This strategy is designed to combat certificate fraud, preserve Nigeria’s intellectual achievements, and enhance academic integrity nationwide.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, issued a circular instructing all institutions, public and private, including military schools, as well as Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), to implement the policy without exception. The circular also commands agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to facilitate smooth data sharing to support student onboarding and verification processes.
NERD aims to use these academic submissions as permanent records to show students’ continuous academic affiliation, regardless of their location. By digitising these projects along with the names of students, supervisors, and departmental heads, the system seeks to uphold quality assurance and promote accountability in academic supervision.
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