If you are a Nigerian graduate dreaming of that NYSC call-up letter, here is news that will immediately grab your attention. The Federal Government has made it mandatory for every student to submit their final year project or thesis to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) before they can be mobilised. In other words, no submission, no NYSC, whether you studied in Nigeria or abroad.

According to a circular from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, effective October 6, no graduate, whether trained in Nigeria or abroad, will be mobilised or exempted from the NYSC without proof of compliance.

This essentially means that all students must deposit their academic work into the national database. The system acts as a quality check, providing independent proof of continuous academic enrolment and affiliation.

NERD spokesperson Haula Galadima explained that the programme also seeks to raise the standard of academic output nationwide. Every submission will carry detailed information, including the student’s full name, their supervisor, co-supervisor (if any), the Head of Department, and the sponsoring institution.

“The idea is simple,” Galadima said. “When lecturers know their names will appear next to their students’ work on a globally accessible platform, they are more likely to maintain high standards. Few would want to be linked to poorly executed projects.”

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The policy also comes with a perk. President Bola Tinubu has endorsed a monetization scheme that allows both students and lecturers to earn lifetime revenue from their deposited academic outputs.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has stressed that submission is obligatory, citing sections of the NERD guidelines that cover all academic institutions. This includes universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and even foreign institutions attended by Nigerian students.

The enforcement, however, does not affect current corps members or those already mobilised before October 6.

By implementing this reform, the government aims to curb certificate racketeering, protect Nigeria’s intellectual property, and boost the credibility of higher education qualifications. Graduates aiming for NYSC must submit their theses or final year projects to NERD before collecting their call-up letters.

Anita Chinedu