The Federal Government of Nigeria has taken a significant step towards promoting academic excellence and transparency in the country’s education system. In a recent development, the government has mandated that prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members submit their academic theses or project reports to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) as a prerequisite for mobilization or exemption from the scheme.
The directive, approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aims to digitize and preserve academic outputs from Nigerian graduates, promoting transparency and accountability within the academic system. By making academic works accessible and transparent, the government hopes to improve academic standards, prevent certificate racketeering, and promote high-quality research and academic output.
The new regulation, which takes effect from October 6, 2025, applies to all Nigerian graduates, including those from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and overseas institutions. Graduates must upload their existing thesis or project to the NERD platform as proof of academic output. The NERD platform will store academic works, featuring the names of students, supervisors, and institutions.
The Federal Government has directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and higher institutions to ensure full enforcement of the policy. This move is expected to enhance the quality of academic content, output, and presentation across Nigerian institutions. By promoting academic excellence and transparency, the government hopes to improve the overall quality of education in Nigeria.
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