The Federal Government has introduced sweeping reforms to the mobilisation process for graduates into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), making compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a compulsory requirement.
President Bola Tinubu, invoking provisions of the NYSC Act, approved the directive to strengthen academic integrity, curb certificate racketeering, and restore honour to Nigeria’s education system.
Under the new guidelines, no graduate from any Nigerian or foreign institution will be mobilised for, or exempted from, national service without proof of NERD compliance. This includes the mandatory submission of academic works such as theses and project reports.
The policy, communicated through a circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, takes effect from October 6, 2025. However, serving corps members and those already mobilised before the date will not be affected.
According to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the NERD policy applies to all higher institutions—public or private, military or civilian—including specialised colleges and research institutes. The requirement will serve as a quality assurance mechanism, providing proof of continuous academic activity and safeguarding Nigeria’s intellectual assets.
A copy of the approved policy also reveals that President Tinubu endorsed an academic output monetisation scheme, enabling students and lecturers to earn lifetime royalties from deposited works. Institutions are further encouraged to establish local repositories in line with the national databank.
NERD Spokesperson Haula Galadima explained that each student deposit must carry the names of the student, supervisors, Head of Department, and sponsoring institution. She said the initiative will not only enhance authenticity but also push lecturers to raise academic standards, since their names will appear alongside students’ works on a globally accessible platform.
To ensure smooth implementation, Ministries, Departments, Agencies, and higher institutions have been directed to fully comply, while critical data agencies like the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will provide technical support through secure data exchange systems.
For onboarding, institutions and organisations are required to register via ned.gov.ng/onboarding.
The Federal Government says the policy marks a decisive step towards protecting academic integrity, boosting supervision standards, and positioning Nigerian scholarship on a credible global platform.
