Thousands of Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates from polytechnics across Nigeria are stranded months—and in some cases years—after completing their studies as they await mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Many of the affected graduates blame administrative bottlenecks within their institutions and the limited mobilisation quota allocated by the scheme for the prolonged delay.
Findings indicate that the situation has left many graduates unable to secure employment or move forward with their careers, as several organisations require proof of NYSC completion or exemption before offering jobs.
While some graduates initially linked the challenge to admission documentation processed through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the board has clarified that it does not handle admissions into HND programmes, shifting attention to institutional clearance processes and the NYSC mobilisation framework.
Some of the affected graduates described the experience as frustrating, saying the delay had disrupted their career plans and exposed them to economic and social pressure.
Kaduna State Polytechnic has recently been in the spotlight over alleged delays in mobilising its graduates for the NYSC programme.
A graduate of the institution, who identified himself simply as Usman, said he completed his programme two years ago but had yet to be mobilised despite submitting all required documents.
He accused the institution’s management of repeatedly requesting the same documentation without resolving the issue.
“They keep asking us to submit documents again and again, and nothing changes. I submitted my regularisation printout but they said they could not find it. I submitted it again and still nothing. People keep asking about my NYSC status and it is frustrating,” he said.
Another graduate, Zainab Asmau, said the delay had caused emotional and financial strain, adding that some graduates had waited for more than three years without mobilisation.
“This is not just a delay on paper; it has destroyed real lives. Qualified graduates have lost job opportunities simply because they cannot present an NYSC certificate,” she said.
Another graduate, Abubakar, said the delay had forced many graduates to watch their peers move ahead with their careers.
“Imagine gaining admission before your younger brother and graduating ahead of him, but while you are still waiting for mobilisation, he finishes his programme and moves ahead. It is very painful,” he said.
An official of Kaduna State Polytechnic, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, attributed the delay partly to the limited mobilisation slots allocated to institutions by the National Youth Service Corps.
“Kaduna Polytechnic has thousands of students, but every institution is given a specific number of slots for mobilisation by NYSC. So it is impossible for all graduates to be mobilised at once,” the official said, adding that the backlog was also linked to broader challenges facing the scheme.
A Kaduna-based radio presenter, Omachi Philip, also criticised the situation in a video shared on social media, claiming that thousands of graduates from the polytechnic had yet to be mobilised.
“What did Kaduna Polytechnic do to NYSC that students will finish school and mobilisation becomes a problem? Some parents are beginning to doubt whether their children actually went to school because someone graduates and more than three years later he has not served,” he said.
Similar complaints were raised by graduates from other institutions.
A Quantity Surveying graduate from Kwara State Polytechnic, Idayat Folorunso, said she completed her HND programme in July last year but was still waiting to be mobilised.
“I finished HND in July last year. They told us they were working on our mobilisation for NYSC even after the graduation list was released. Those who graduated before us also waited almost a year before they were mobilised,” she said.
An Administration graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Ibrahim Koleoso, said many graduates from the institution had been waiting for months to be mobilised.
“I graduated last year and we are still expecting the NYSC mobilisation. It is almost four months now. We are tired of staying at home. You cannot apply for jobs. Some people have been delayed for eight months and others have not even had their results released yet,” he said.
A former Students’ Union Government President of Adamawa State Polytechnic, Saheed Muhammed, accused the NYSC of sidelining polytechnic graduates during mobilisation.
“The NYSC management is always sidelining polytechnic graduates. Some schools also run HND programmes without meeting the prerequisites, and that delays students,” he said.
Graduates from Kano State Polytechnic also blamed the NYSC for delays in mobilisation, alleging that the scheme had become selective due to the increasing number of graduates produced annually.