The Federal Government has introduced a new requirement that could affect thousands of Nigerian graduates, declaring that compliance with the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD) will now be mandatory for participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) or for obtaining an exemption certificate.
The directive was announced by the Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, during a national programme focused on strengthening academic records integrity across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
According to the minister, the new policy is aimed at curbing certificate fraud and ensuring that only verified graduates are eligible for national service.
FG Moves to Strengthen Credential Verification
The Minister explained that the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD) is a centralized digital platform designed to standardise and authenticate academic records from tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
He clarified that compliance with the database will now serve as a key verification step before graduates can participate in or obtain exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
“It is important to clarify that while NERD compliance is now a prerequisite for participation in, or exemption from, the National Youth Service Corps, enforcement extends far beyond NYSC,” the minister stated.
This means graduates whose academic records are not uploaded or verified on the NERD platform may face difficulties accessing national service or other academic verification processes.
More Government Agencies to Enforce Compliance
Beyond the NYSC requirement, the Federal Government revealed that several key agencies in Nigeria’s education and training sector will also require NERD compliance before providing services.
These include:
- National Universities Commission (NUC)
- National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)
- National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE)
- Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)
- Industrial Training Fund (ITF)
The minister noted that the move is part of broader reforms designed to improve transparency, accountability, and credibility within Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
Thousands of Student Records Already Digitised
Officials also disclosed early progress in implementing the platform. Within four months of deployment, the government has already:
- Digitised nearly 100,000 student records
- Onboarded over 250 tertiary institutions
- Registered more than 133,000 students
Authorities say these numbers are expected to rise significantly as more institutions integrate their academic databases with the platform.
Crackdown on Fake Foreign Degrees
The Minister also addressed the longstanding issue of Nigerians acquiring fake or unaccredited degrees from foreign institutions, particularly from schools operating in the Republic of Benin.
According to him, the government has halted the practice and sanctioned individuals who used such certificates for employment.
“Before this administration, a whistleblower exposed Nigerians going to the Republic of Benin to obtain degrees. That has been completely stopped,” he said.
He further revealed that individuals discovered to have obtained illegal academic certificates have already been removed from Nigeria’s civil and public service.
FG Vows Strict Enforcement
The government says the policy will be strictly enforced as part of efforts to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s education system and prevent credential falsification.
Education authorities believe the NERD database will play a critical role in ensuring that only legitimately qualified graduates are recognized within the national academic and employment system.
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