Tinubu approves mandatory thesis submission for NYSC mobilisation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved new regulations that make the submission of academic theses or project reports a compulsory requirement for graduates seeking mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

The directive, which takes effect from October 6, 2025, was conveyed through an enforcement circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

The new policy is tied to the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD) initiative, designed to digitise and preserve academic works from Nigerian institutions. According to the government, this will help curb certificate fraud, improve research quality, and ensure every graduate’s work contributes to Nigeria’s knowledge base.

On the positive side, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, highlighted that the policy creates opportunities for both students and lecturers to earn royalties from their academic works, which will now be stored on a national digital platform. NERD spokesperson Haula Galadima also noted that submissions must carry the names of the student, supervisor(s), Head of Department, and institution, a move expected to improve supervision and discourage substandard projects.

However, some observers worry about the challenges ahead, especially the readiness of universities to comply, given infrastructural gaps and the risk of overburdening students with bureaucratic requirements. Schools and organisations are also mandated to submit compliance reports from March 30 every year, raising concerns over administrative bottlenecks.

The regulation exempts existing NYSC members and graduates mobilised before October 6, meaning the new rule applies only to fresh graduates from that date forward. All eyes will now be on how swiftly institutions adapt to this major academic-policy shift.