The Federal Government has announced stricter compliance measures in Nigeria’s education system, declaring that students whose records are not captured on the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD) may not be eligible for participation in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The policy forms part of broader reforms aimed at tackling certificate fraud and strengthening the credibility of academic records nationwide.

The announcement was made on Thursday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, during a national capacity building programme organised to support the implementation of the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank. The programme, themed ‘Strengthening Institutional Compliance and Academic Records Integrity,’ brought together school representatives to improve the accuracy, security and authentication of academic records across institutions.

Addressing participants, the minister emphasised the critical role of credible data in governance and policymaking.

“I have this quote right in my office that I read every day. Data is the lifeblood of effective governance. It enables us to understand the challenges we face, so that we can design and implement effective solutions, as well as monitor and evaluate our progress.

“Without data, we are flying blind. And that is not what this government is about,” he said.

Alausa also commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as bold reforms intended to reposition the country.

“We have seen this president take difficult decisions. Our country is being transformed like it’s never been before. Positive transformation in a way that is laying our country on the path of sustainability,” he said.

According to the minister, the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank is a national digital infrastructure designed to standardise and authenticate academic credentials across tertiary institutions. He explained that the platform will issue national credential numbers, operate a National Credential Revocation Service, run a National Student Clearinghouse, and maintain a federated repository of academic theses and abstracts, alongside a national academic publication and indexing database.

Alausa revealed that within four months of enforcement, the system had already recorded significant adoption across institutions.

“More than 133,000 students and over 6,800 lecturers are now enrolled on the platform, supported by over 655 focal persons nationwide,” he said.

He added that nearly 100,000 digital student submissions had been preserved while more than 250 universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education had been integrated into the system for real time verification. The initiative has also led to the establishment of over 1,000 digital service centres in partnership with Nigeria Digital Entrepreneurs, generating more than 3,000 jobs within the same period.

The minister said the government’s decision to tighten oversight was partly triggered by reports of Nigerians obtaining questionable degrees from unaccredited institutions abroad.

“Let me emphasise that education is a covenant between the State and its citizens. When a certificate is issued, it is not merely paper; it is a national guarantee that due process was followed and standards were upheld. That guarantee is only as strong as the integrity of our record-keeping systems.

“Before President Tinubu came into government, there was a whistleblower who reported about Nigerians going to the Republic of Benin to study. Some people were getting PhD certificates in just six months, universities that never existed, universities in one-room apartments, giving certificates.

“But today, I can report to you that we moved quickly as a government. Based on the President’s directive, we conducted full investigations. That has been put to a complete stop. And all of those people that got those illegal certificates have all been thrown out of our civil service, public service.”

Explaining the implications of the reform, Alausa stated that NERD compliance would now be mandatory for institutions and individuals seeking access to several government education services.

“It is important to clarify that while NERD compliance is now a prerequisite for participation in, or exemption from, the National Youth Service Corps, enforcement extends far beyond NYSC.

“Agencies such as TETFund, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education, the National Commission for Colleges of Education, and the Industrial Training Fund, as well as all accredited tertiary institutions, are mandated to ensure compliance as a condition for accessing their services.

“NERD is therefore a reform instrument, anchored on transparency, traceability, and accountability. The National Credential Verification Service component will maintain a national digital footprint of every academic award obtained in accredited Nigerian institutions. We will aggressively enforce compliance to end credential falsification and eliminate disputes over academic records.”

The minister also encouraged educational institutions to prioritise locally developed digital platforms in line with the Federal Government’s local content policy.

“I challenge myself that the only platform that we deploy from the Federal Ministry of Education will be a platform built by Nigerians in this country,” he said.

Alausa further announced the creation of the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank Annual National Laureate Prize and Awards Programme, which will reward exceptional academic research with prizes ranging from five million to twenty million naira. He noted that the inaugural edition of the award is expected to hold in November.

In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of NERD, Engineer Tunji Ariyomo, described the initiative as a major step toward preserving Nigeria’s academic knowledge and strengthening the country’s research ecosystem.

“What does that say about us in Nigeria and about Africa? Our knowledge is not able to climb on the shoulders of previous knowledge. So there is a gap,” he said.

Ariyomo stressed that countries that document and validate knowledge over time are often those leading global innovation and development.

“Nations that have preserved knowledge over a long period of time, and where that knowledge can be validated, are the ones leading the world,” he said.

Nigeria has long struggled with certificate fraud and weak academic record-keeping systems, with several cases of forged or unverifiable degrees reported over the years. Investigations had previously uncovered illegal degree mills in neighbouring countries, where some individuals were said to have obtained qualifications within unusually short periods, prompting the government to intensify reforms aimed at restoring credibility to the nation’s education system. (AriseNews TV)