Graduates Must Submit Theses, Projects Before NYSC – New FG Policy

• Tinubu has approved a new policy requiring all graduates to submit their academic outputs, including theses and project reports, to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) before they can be mobilised for or exempted from the NYSC.

• The policy, which takes effect on October 6, 2025, applies to graduates from all institutions in Nigeria and abroad, while current Corps members remain unaffected.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a policy making the submission of academic outputs—such as theses and project reports—mandatory for mobilisation into or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The directive aligns with the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD). Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, issued a circular adjusting NYSC mobilisation criteria, making proof of NERD compliance compulsory for all prospective Corps members.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, stressed the policy applies to all institutions “public, private, military, civilian, and overseas.” Effective October 6, 2025, no graduate will be mobilised for or exempted from NYSC without evidence of compliance. Current Corps members are unaffected.

NERD also introduces a monetisation system for students and lecturers, while institutions will link their repositories to a national platform.

NERD spokesperson Haula Galadima explained:
“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. 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.”

She added that every submission will carry the names of the student, supervisor, co-supervisor, head of department, and institution to ensure accountability, while agencies like NIMC will support verification through inter-agency data exchange.