By ZAKAA LAZARUS
In its efforts to curb certificate fraud and ensure that only genuine graduates are mobilized for national service, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing the Federal Government’s directive mandating all Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) to present a compliance certificate from the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
The Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, stated this in his keynote address at the 2026 Batch ‘B’ Pre-Mobilization Workshop themed, “Strengthening Institutional Accountability and Compliance in the NYSC Mobilization Process for Effective Service Delivery,” held in Abuja.
He appealed to Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) to adequately sensitize their students and ensure strict compliance with the initiative.
General Nafiu emphasized that the mobilization process was not the sole responsibility of the NYSC, urging regulatory bodies, security agencies, and relevant ministries to provide the necessary support through policy guidance, capacity building, and enforcement of compliance standards.
“When we work in synergy, we ease the path for our Prospective Corps Members, ensuring that their transition from student to national service is smooth, transparent, and credible.” “Let us be bold in confronting the obstacles before us and creative in fashioning solutions that will stand the test of time.” “Let us build a more accountable, transparent, and efficient mobilization process for the benefit of all,” he said.
Earlier in her address, the NYSC Director, Corps Mobilization, Mrs. Rachel Ideawor, described the Pre-Mobilization Workshop as a vital platform for fostering collaboration between the Scheme, Corps Producing Institutions, and other critical stakeholders.
She noted that although significant progress had been made in enhancing the NYSC mobilization process, there was still a need to optimize service delivery across the entire mobilization value chain. “I urge our Student Affairs Officers to approach their responsibilities with diligence and integrity, ensuring that the information provided accurately reflects the true profiles of Prospective Corps Members,” Ideawor said.
The workshop was attended by representatives of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), SIDMACH Technologies, as well as 266 Student Affairs Officers (SAOs) from various Corps Producing Institutions across the country.
