No NERD Clearance, No NYSC — Corps Members Face New Mobilisation Rule

• The NYSC has made NERD clearance mandatory for all prospective corps members, warning that anyone without the required verification will not be mobilised for national service as preparations begin for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ orientation exercise.

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced that prospective corps members will no longer be mobilised for national service without obtaining clearance from the National Electronic Registration Database (NERD).

The new directive, issued on Monday via the scheme’s official X account, makes NERD clearance a compulsory requirement for all prospective corps members ahead of the 2026 Batch ‘B’ mobilisation exercise.

The NYSC urged eligible graduates to complete the clearance process as early as possible, warning that failure to do so could delay or prevent their mobilisation for national service.

“This is to inform PCMs (Prospective Corps Members) that without NERD clearance, no NYSC. Get your NERD clearance early. Avoid delays in your mobilisation,” the scheme stated.

Reinforcing the directive, the agency added:

“NERD clearance is compulsory for all PCMs. No NERD clearance, No NYSC!!!”

Although the NYSC did not provide additional details on the verification process, the move signals a stricter screening system aimed at strengthening the integrity of its mobilisation exercise.

The announcement comes shortly after the scheme opened mobilisation for the 2026 Batch ‘B’ service year, urging tertiary institutions and eligible graduates to complete all required documentation before the orientation camp begins.

It also follows the NYSC’s recent safety advisory warning prospective corps members against travelling at night to orientation camps. The scheme advised them to break long journeys where necessary and spend the night in safe locations or designated military and security formations instead of risking night travel.

The latest directives reflect the NYSC’s renewed efforts to improve both the credibility of its mobilisation process and the safety of prospective corps members amid ongoing security concerns across the country.

Prospective corps members are therefore expected to complete all required registration, verification procedures and the newly emphasised NERD clearance before they can be mobilised for national service.