Bola Tinubu has approved a new directive making the submission of final year projects and theses a compulsory requirement for graduates seeking mobilisation into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The directive comes at a time when insecurity has forced the relocation of NYSC orientation camps and triggered calls for the suspension of the entire programme.
According to a circular issued by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, no graduate will be mobilised or exempted without proof of compliance, beginning October 6.
This move links NYSC enrolment to the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a central digital archive for academic outputs.
Critics argue that Tinubu’s priority is misplaced, given repeated abductions and killings of corps members across the country.
The Human Rights and Justice Group International had earlier urged Tinubu to suspend the NYSC, warning that “the ongoing deployment of youths for the National Youth Service posed a significant risk to their lives.”
State governments like Kwara have already relocated orientation camps due to attacks, while the NYSC DG recently warned corps members, “Don’t travel at night and don’t travel without authorisation.”
Despite these security concerns, NERD spokesperson Haula Galadima defended the new requirement, insisting every submission must include the names of the student, supervisor, co-supervisor, Head of Department and sponsoring institution.
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She said, “Apart from the mandate to verify for authenticity as a national flagship, the NERD digitisation programme has a clear objective – to raise the bar in the quality of academic content, output and presentation nationwide.”
Galadima also argued that “If our eminent scholars are aware that their names will appear next to those of the students they supervise on a globally available digital platform, there is the likelihood that each lecturer would up his or her standard.”
For many parents and corps members already traumatised by insecurity, however, Tinubu’s focus on academic projects rather than protection raises questions about his priorities.
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