NYSC plans digital records, considers biometric checks for certificates

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) plans to digitise its certificate records to improve record-keeping, accountability and service delivery.

The scheme’s Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, announced this at the 2026 NYSC Certification Officers’ Workshop in Abuja, according to a statement on the NYSC’s official Facebook page.

Nafiu directed certification officers to take steps to transfer paper-based Certificate of National Service production and issuance registers to an Electronic Documents and Records Management System (EDRMS).

He added that the scheme would explore biometric identification for issuing certificates, subject to technical assessments, approvals, and safeguards.

According to him, the digital archive would enable faster retrieval and tracking of records while protecting documents against loss, physical damage, and unauthorised alterations.

Nafiu also identified certificate forgery, racketeering, discrepancies in records, and delays in certificate issuance as challenges the scheme aims to address.