Nigerian graduates seeking to participate in the National Youth Service Corps programme will now be required to present a certificate issued by the Nigerian Education Repository and Databank before they can register.
The directive was announced by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, as part of new measures introduced by the Federal Government to strengthen the verification and authenticity of academic credentials in the country.
The policy introduces a digital credential verification system designed to authenticate academic records and curb certificate fraud within Nigeria’s education sector.
According to the minister, compliance with the NERD certification process has now become a mandatory requirement for graduates who intend to either participate in or obtain exemption from the NYSC scheme.
New credential verification policy
The NERD initiative forms part of a broader government effort to establish a centralised database for academic records across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
Under the system, all academic certificates issued by accredited institutions will be assigned a National Credential Number through the National Credential Verification Service.
The government had earlier directed all Ministries, Departments and Agencies to adopt the platform for verifying academic credentials of staff, prospective employees and graduates.
Although the directive initially took effect in October 2025, prospective corps members were temporarily exempted due to ongoing mobilisation processes at the time.
However, the minister clarified that the transitional window has now ended and the requirement is fully enforceable for all new graduates.
“Compliance with the Nigerian Education Repository and Databank is now a prerequisite for participation or exemption from the National Youth Service,” the minister said during a capacity-building workshop held in Abuja.
Strengthening academic data integrity
The workshop, which brought together representatives from universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, focused on improving the implementation of the Nigeria Education Integrity and Data Programme.
Officials from regulatory agencies including the National Universities Commission, National Board for Technical Education and the National Commission for Colleges of Education attended the event.
Alausa explained that the repository is designed to create a secure digital infrastructure that stores and authenticates academic records from tertiary institutions across the country.
According to him, the initiative will help eliminate disputes surrounding academic credentials while improving transparency in Nigeria’s education system.
“The Nigerian Education Repository and Data Bank is not just a technology platform. It is a national infrastructure created to secure and authenticate academic records across institutions,” he said.
He added that accurate educational data will enable policymakers to better understand the challenges facing the sector and design effective reforms.
Institutional compliance tied to funding
Beyond graduates, the government has also directed tertiary institutions to comply with the NERD system as a condition for accessing funding and services from key education agencies.
These include the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education, the National Commission for Colleges of Education and the Industrial Training Fund.
Officials say the measure is intended to compel institutions to properly digitise and upload academic records to the national database.
Education authorities believe that a unified repository will also improve credential verification for employers, foreign universities and professional regulators.
Growing adoption of the platform
The minister disclosed that the NERD platform has recorded significant adoption since its rollout.
More than 133,000 students and about 6,800 lecturers have already enrolled in the system.
In addition, over 800,000 academic research projects have been uploaded to the digital repository within the first four months of implementation.
Government data further shows that more than 250 universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education have been onboarded onto the platform for real-time credential verification.
Officials say the platform has also helped expand Nigeria’s digital education infrastructure while creating new employment opportunities across the country.
According to the minister, collaboration with Nigeria Digital Engineers has led to the establishment of over 1,000 digital service centres nationwide, generating more than 3,000 jobs.
Education sector reform
Authorities say the credential verification initiative is part of broader reforms aimed at strengthening integrity and accountability within Nigeria’s education system.
The government hopes the system will discourage certificate forgery and improve the global credibility of academic qualifications obtained from Nigerian institutions.
Education experts believe the policy could also simplify employment verification processes for organisations and enhance data-driven decision-making in the sector.