The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that only graduates presenting a compliance certificate from the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) will be eligible for mobilization, in a bid to eliminate certificate fraud and ensure transparency in the national service programme.
NERD is a centralized digital repository created to store, verify, and authenticate academic records and educational data of Nigerian graduates. The platform is designed to help government agencies and institutions detect fake certificates, improve data integrity, and strengthen verification processes within the education sector.
Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, the NYSC Director-General, disclosed this during the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilization Workshop held in Abuja. The event, themed “Strengthening Institutional Accountability and Compliance in the NYSC Mobilization Process for Effective Service Delivery,” gathered stakeholders from Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) and relevant regulatory bodies.
General Nafiu urged CPIs to educate their students on the importance of compliance, emphasising that mobilization is a shared responsibility involving the NYSC, regulatory agencies, security services, and government ministries.
He said, “When we work in synergy, we ease the path for our Prospective Corps Members, ensuring that their transition from student to national service is smooth, transparent, and credible.”
He called for creativity and boldness in addressing challenges within the mobilization system, stating.
He urged, “Let us build a more accountable, transparent, and efficient mobilization process for the benefit of all.”
Mrs. Rachel Ideawor, NYSC Director of Corps Mobilization, described the workshop as a vital platform for strengthening collaboration between the NYSC, CPIs, and key stakeholders. She highlighted the need to optimise service delivery across the mobilization value chain and urged Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) to maintain diligence and integrity in verifying the profiles of prospective corps members.
Ideawor said, “The information provided must accurately reflect the true profiles of Prospective Corps Members.”
The workshop brought together representatives from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Federal Ministry of Education, NERD, SIDMACH Technologies, and 266 Student Affairs Officers from CPIs nationwide
Officials emphasised that the NERD certification requirement is part of broader efforts to professionalize the mobilization process, enhance accountability, and ensure that only eligible graduates participate in the national service scheme.
The NYSC has reiterated its commitment to enforcing the directive ahead of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ mobilization, warning that non-compliant candidates may face delays or disqualification from the programme.
By implementing the NERD compliance certificate, the NYSC aims to strengthen institutional accountability, improve the integrity of national service data, and ensure that the programme continues to benefit both the country and the participating graduates.
This initiative aligns with federal government policies to curb fraudulent practices in tertiary education, safeguard the integrity of national service, and enhance the credibility of the NYSC mobilization process.
With the 2026 Batch ‘B’ mobilization underway, the NYSC is emphasising adherence to these standards as essential for a smooth, fair, and effective deployment of graduates across Nigeria.