Reform: Nigerian students’ submission of final-year projects mandatory for NYSC mobilisation –Official

*The Federal Government explains the education reform under the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank framework mandates any final-year students to deposit academic outputs, including theses and project reports, as part of a national effort at curbing certificate fraud, preserving the country’s academic integrity and intellectual assets

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Federal Government of Nigeria says President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a reform linking the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation process to the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).

ConsumerConnect reports President Tinubu, by invoking Sections 2(4)(4) and 16(1)(C) of the NYSC Act, has directed that no graduate — whether from a Nigerian or foreign institution — will be mobilised for, or exempted from NYSC without proof of compliance with the NERD policy.

Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation

The Nigerian Government disclosed the development in a recent directive contained in circular by Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), which takes effect from October 6, 2025.

It is also noted that under the NERD framework, any students are required to deposit academic outputs, including theses and project reports, as part of a national effort at curbing certificate fraud while preserving the country’s academic integrity and intellectual assets.

Besides, Section 6.1.23 of the policy indicates the requirement serves as an independent quality assurance measure and proof of academic enrolment into the National Service scheme.

Earlier in March 2025, while issuing the Declaration of Effectiveness for NERD, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, said that following the declaration, “the approved stipulations for mandatory submission of academic outputs as provided in Sections 2.3, 4.3(1), and 7.6.11(c), among others, of the approved National Policy for the NERD Programme shall become obligatory requirements in Nigeria.”

Significance of policy reform

Highlighting the importance of the directive, Haula Galadima, Spokesperson at NERD, explained that every student’s submission would include the full names of the student, supervisor, co-supervisor (where applicable), and Head of Department, along with the sponsoring institution and department for the NYSC mobilisation.

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Galadima said: “Apart from the mandate to verify for authenticity as a national flagship, the NERD digitisation programme has a clear objective – to raise the bar in the quality of academic content, output, and presentation nationwide.

“One way NERD intends to accomplish this task, based on its mandate, is to strengthen the supervision processes in the nation’s higher institutions without getting involved in the processes.”

The Spokesperson also stated: “If our eminent scholars are aware that their names will appear next to those of the students they supervise on a globally available digital platform, there is the likelihood that each lecturer would up his or her standard.

“Very few lecturers would want their names associated with poorly produced academic works.

“NERD is therefore poised to help each lecturer earn his ‘earned allowances’ by providing thorough supervision.”