The Federal Government has approved new regulations making compliance with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) a mandatory condition for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
A circular issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, stated that effective October 6, no graduate of a Nigerian or foreign institution will be mobilised for service or granted exemption without proof of NERD compliance.
The directive, however, excludes current corps members and those already mobilised before the enforcement date.
According to the circular, the move followed President Bola Tinubu’s approval of adjustments to NYSC mobilisation criteria in line with the NERD Policy.
The policy requires Nigerian students to deposit academic outputs such as theses and project reports into the repository as part of a quality assurance process and as proof of continuous academic engagement.
Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had earlier explained that the policy applies to all tertiary institutions in Nigeria—public, private, civilian, or military—as well as overseas institutions whose graduates seek recognition in the country.
He added that the policy also introduces a reward system to monetise academic works, allowing students and lecturers to earn lifetime revenues from their deposited outputs.
To ensure smooth implementation, institutions are required to establish local repositories, while critical agencies such as the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) will support data validation and exchange through digital platforms.
NERD spokesperson, Haula Galadima, said the initiative will enhance academic standards by ensuring that students’ work bears the names of their supervisors and heads of departments, thereby compelling lecturers to uphold higher quality in research supervision.
“The objective is not only to verify authenticity but also to raise the quality of academic content nationwide,” Galadima said.