The Digest:
The National Youth Service Corps has announced that from the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Stream 1 Orientation Course, all prospective corps members must present a compliance certificate from the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) as part of the mobilisation process. NYSC Director‑General Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu disclosed this at a pre‑mobilisation workshop in Abuja. He said the policy is aimed at curbing credential fraud and ensuring only genuinely qualified graduates are mobilised, in line with a Federal Executive Council directive.
Key Points:
- The new certificate will help verify academic credentials, reducing the chances of fake graduates passing through the scheme.
- Compliance will add an extra step and cost for graduates, potentially slowing down mobilisation.
- Institutions may face sanctions if they submit inaccurate graduate records for mobilisation.
- The policy shifts more responsibility to graduates to proactively obtain the NERD certificate before the orientation camp.
- Digital verification tools are expected to make the mobilisation process more transparent and accountable.
Sources: The Nation
