The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that prospective corps members seeking mobilisation for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year must obtain clearance from the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), warning that failure to do so will prevent them from participating in the mandatory national service programme.
The latest directive reinforces the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the credibility of the country’s education system, eliminate certificate fraud and ensure that only qualified graduates are mobilised for national service. The policy is part of a broader verification framework introduced earlier this year and is now being strictly enforced as mobilisation activities gather momentum.
In a notice released through its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Monday, the NYSC reminded all Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) that NERD clearance has become a compulsory requirement for mobilisation.
According to the scheme, graduates who fail to complete the verification process in good time risk delays that could affect their participation in the upcoming orientation exercise.
The agency stated that prospective corps members should begin the clearance process immediately instead of waiting until mobilisation deadlines approach.
“Without NERD clearance, no NYSC,” the scheme declared, stressing that every eligible graduate must comply with the requirement before they can proceed with mobilisation.
The NYSC further reiterated that obtaining NERD clearance is no longer optional, adding that compliance is mandatory for every prospective corps member preparing for the next batch of national service.
Although the notice did not provide a step-by-step explanation of the clearance procedure, it underscored the importance of completing all verification requirements before mobilisation begins.
The renewed emphasis on NERD compliance follows an earlier announcement by the NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, during the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilisation Workshop in Abuja. At the workshop, he disclosed that every prospective corps member would be required to present a compliance certificate issued through the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank before mobilisation. He explained that the measure was introduced to strengthen accountability, improve institutional compliance and prevent fake or unqualified graduates from entering the national service programme.
NERD, which stands for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, is a national digital platform established to preserve, verify and authenticate academic credentials and research works submitted by graduates of Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The initiative was introduced as part of the Federal Government’s reforms aimed at creating a reliable national database for academic records while tackling certificate racketeering and academic fraud. Under the system, graduates’ academic credentials and project works are digitally verified, making it easier for employers, government agencies and institutions to authenticate certificates when necessary.
Education authorities have repeatedly explained that the NERD platform is expected to improve transparency across Nigeria’s higher education system while ensuring that only genuine graduates benefit from Government programmes such as the National Youth Service Corps.
The latest reminder also comes shortly after the NYSC announced the mobilisation of another batch of prospective corps members for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year.
The scheme urged tertiary institutions and eligible graduates to complete every required registration, documentation and verification process ahead of the orientation exercise to avoid unnecessary setbacks.
Beyond tightening the mobilisation process, the NYSC has also continued to issue security advisories to prospective corps members as they prepare to travel to orientation camps across the country.
In one of its recent advisories, the agency warned graduates against embarking on night journeys while travelling to their designated orientation camps.
Instead, prospective corps members were advised to break long-distance journeys whenever necessary and pass the night in secure locations. The scheme also encouraged them to make use of military barracks or other recognised security formations where such facilities are available rather than continue travelling after dark.
The guidance comes amid persistent concerns over insecurity on several highways across Nigeria, with authorities urging travellers to prioritise safety over arriving at their destinations quickly.
By combining stricter verification procedures with improved safety campaigns, the NYSC says it is working to protect both the integrity of the mobilisation process and the welfare of prospective corps members.
Graduates preparing for the forthcoming orientation programme are therefore expected to ensure that all necessary documentation has been completed, including institutional clearance, registration requirements and the now-compulsory NERD verification.
Education stakeholders have also advised final-year students and recent graduates to familiarise themselves with the NERD compliance process early enough to prevent last-minute complications that could delay mobilisation.
With preparations for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ orientation camp entering the final stages, compliance with the new verification requirement is expected to play a key role in determining who qualifies for deployment under the NYSC scheme.
The latest enforcement signals the Government’s determination to strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s educational records while ensuring that the national service programme admits only graduates whose academic credentials have been successfully verified through the country’s central education repository.