The Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) has issued a formal clarification regarding the transitional arrangements for graduating students and institutions, following the Federal Government’s enforcement of its mandatory NERD compliance policy.
The statement, released by the NERD National Secretariat on Friday, aims to allay concerns surrounding the policy’s impact on prospective graduates—particularly those awaiting mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
According to the secretariat, the Federal Government’s directive mandating full institutional and graduate compliance with the NERD Policy and Clearance Framework officially took effect on October 6, 2025.
However, after several consultative meetings with relevant stakeholders, including NYSC officials and prospective corps members, NERD has introduced temporary relief measures for students affected by the transition.
NERD confirmed that graduating students in the 2025 NYSC Batch C will not be affected by the full enforcement of the new compliance policy.
The Secretariat explained that since mobilisation for this group began before the policy enforcement deadline, they would not be penalised under the new system.
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“This decision recognises that these students fall within the transitional period, and their mobilisation processes had started before the deadline set by the new Federal Government directive,” the statement read.
NERD emphasised that full compliance with the policy will apply to all graduates mobilising for NYSC from January/February 2026 onwards.
These individuals and their institutions must meet all documentation and clearance requirements outlined in the NERD framework.
The NERD compliance directive is part of the government’s broader push to strengthen education data management, ensure authenticity in graduate records, and align academic documentation with national development goals.
The Secretariat also extended congratulations to all graduating students across universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, describing them as “the promise of our nation” and vital contributors to Nigeria’s future.
The NERD Secretariat pledged continued collaboration with institutions and government agencies to ensure a smooth transition and implementation of the compliance policy without disadvantaging students.
