The Federal Government of Nigeria has introduced a transformative policy to enhance the quality and credibility of higher education by mandating the submission of students’ theses and final year projects into the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) as a prerequisite for mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). This policy, approved by President Bola Tinubu, aims to ensure academic integrity, curb certificate racketeering, and secure Nigeria’s intellectual property. Effective from October 6, 2025, all graduates, whether trained in Nigeria or abroad, must comply with this requirement to participate in or be exempted from the NYSC. The initiative also includes an innovative monetisation mechanism to reward students and lecturers for their academic contributions, fostering a culture of excellence in Nigerian higher education.
Policy Details
The Federal Government has approved a policy that makes submission of students’ theses and final year projects into the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank a compulsory requirement for mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps. Effective from October 6, 2025, no graduate, whether trained in Nigeria or abroad, will be mobilised for or exempted from the NYSC without proof of compliance.
The directive was issued through a circular by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, conveying President Tinubu’s approval on Saturday, September 27, 2025. The circular stated that the NYSC mobilisation criteria have been adjusted in accordance with the President’s regulation requiring proof of NERD Policy compliance for all prospective corps members, regardless of where they were educated.
The policy mandates that all students deposit their academic outputs, such as theses or project reports, into the national database. According to Section 6.1.23 of the NERD guidelines, this measure serves as a quality assurance check and as a yearly independent proof of continuous academic enrolment and affiliation.
Objectives of the NERD Policy
NERD spokesperson, Haula Galadima, explained that the digitisation programme has a clear objective to raise the bar in the quality of academic content, output, and presentation nationwide. The database will capture comprehensive details of each academic work deposited, including the full name of the student, their supervisor, co-supervisor (if any), the Head of Department, and the sponsoring institution and department.
Galadima highlighted the policy’s impact on university supervision, stating that lecturers, aware that their names will appear alongside their students’ work on a globally accessible digital platform, are likely to elevate their standards. She noted that few lecturers would want their names associated with poorly produced academic works, incentivising higher quality supervision.
Policy Implementation
In March 2025, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, declared the NERD policy effective, emphasising that submission of academic outputs would become obligatory. The approved stipulations for mandatory submission, as provided in Sections 2.3, 4.3(1), and 7.6.11(c) of the National Policy for the NERD Programme, are now mandatory requirements in Nigeria.
The policy also introduces an academic output monetisation mechanism, endorsed by President Tinubu, to reward students and lecturers. This mechanism ensures that students and lecturers can earn lifetime revenues from their academic deposits, incentivising high-quality academic work.
Scope and Enforcement
The enforcement will apply to all graduates from Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and foreign institutions. However, the new rules do not affect serving corps members or those mobilised before the October 6, 2025 enforcement date.
Goals of the Reform
The Federal Government aims to achieve several objectives through this reform:
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Curb certificate racketeering by verifying the authenticity of academic outputs.
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Secure Nigeria’s intellectual property by maintaining a comprehensive national database.
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Strengthen the credibility of higher education qualifications by ensuring quality assurance.
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FAQs
What is the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD)?
The NERD is a national digital database designed to store and manage academic outputs, such as theses and final year projects, from students in Nigerian and foreign institutions. It serves as a quality assurance tool and a repository for verifying academic enrolment and affiliation.
Who is affected by the new NYSC mobilisation policy?
The policy applies to all graduates seeking NYSC mobilisation or exemption, including those from Nigerian universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and foreign institutions, starting from October 6, 2025.
What types of academic outputs must be submitted to the NERD?
Students are required to submit their theses, final year projects, or other academic outputs as specified by their institutions into the NERD database.
How does the monetisation mechanism work?
The policy includes a mechanism that allows students and lecturers to earn lifetime revenues from their academic deposits. Specific details on the monetisation process are available through the NERD programme guidelines.
Why is the submission of academic outputs mandatory?
The mandatory submission ensures quality assurance, verifies the authenticity of academic work, curbs certificate racketeering, and strengthens the credibility of Nigerian higher education qualifications.
Are current corps members affected by this policy?
No, the policy does not affect serving corps members or those mobilised before October 6, 2025.
What happens if a graduate does not comply with the NERD submission requirement?
Graduates who fail to submit their academic outputs to the NERD will not be eligible for NYSC mobilisation or exemption.
How will the policy improve academic supervision?
By linking lecturers’ names to their students’ work on a globally accessible platform, the policy encourages lecturers to maintain high standards in supervision to avoid association with substandard academic outputs.
Where can I find more information about the NERD policy?
Additional details about the NERD policy and its implementation can be obtained from the Federal Ministry of Education or the NYSC authorities.
When was the NERD policy first announced?
The NERD policy was declared effective by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in March 2025, with mandatory submission requirements outlined in the National Policy for the NERD Programme.
