The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has made clearance from the National Electronic Registration Database (NERD) a mandatory requirement for the mobilisation of prospective corps members, warning that no graduate will be deployed for national service without completing the verification process.
The scheme announced the directive in a public notice posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, urging prospective corps members (PCMs) to obtain their NERD clearance early to avoid delays in mobilisation.
“This is to inform Prospective Corps Members (PCMs) that without NERD clearance, there will be no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid delays in your mobilisation,” the notice stated.
Reinforcing the directive, the scheme added: “NERD clearance is compulsory for all PCMs. No NERD clearance, No NYSC.”
Although the NYSC did not provide further details on how the clearance process would be conducted, the new requirement signals tighter scrutiny of graduates’ records as the scheme moves to strengthen the credibility of its mobilisation process.
The directive comes as preparations gather pace for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ orientation exercise, with the NYSC urging tertiary institutions and eligible graduates to complete all documentation and verification requirements before mobilisation.
The latest measure also follows a recent safety advisory issued by the scheme, cautioning prospective corps members against travelling to orientation camps at night because of prevailing security concerns.
The NYSC advised intending corps members to break their journeys where necessary and spend the night in safe locations, including designated military formations and other recognised security facilities, rather than travelling after dark.
The twin directives underscore the scheme’s renewed focus on improving the integrity of its mobilisation process while enhancing the safety and security of prospective corps members during the orientation period.
Eligible graduates are therefore expected to complete all registration, verification and NERD clearance requirements before they can be mobilised for the mandatory one-year national service.