By Nkechi Eze
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is set to transition to an electronic records management system as part of efforts to strengthen certificate verification, curb forgery and improve service delivery, with its Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, directing certification officers to acquire the digital skills required for the transition.
According to an official statement signed by Caroline Embu, Director of Information and Public Relations, Nafiu gave the directive at the 2026 NYSC Certification Officers’ Workshop in Abuja, themed “Repositioning NYSC Certification: Overcoming Challenges and Driving Seamless Service Delivery.” He was represented at the event by the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Grace Ogbuogebe.
The NYSC chief said the planned migration from paper-based records to an Electronic Documents and Records Management System (EDRMS) would improve the management, retrieval and tracking of Certificates of National Service, while strengthening accountability and protecting vital documents against loss, physical damage and unauthorised alterations.
He also disclosed that the Scheme would explore the adoption of biometric identification for issuing Certificates of National Service, subject to the necessary technical assessments, approvals and safeguards.
“We must explore and adopt appropriate technological solutions, including biometric identification for the issuance of Certificates of National Service, subject to the necessary technical assessments, approvals and safeguards,” Nafiu said.
He directed that deliberate measures be taken to migrate existing paper-based certificate production and issuance registers to the electronic system, stressing that certification officers must develop the competencies needed to operate effectively in an increasingly digital environment.
According to him, the initiative is part of the Scheme’s broader efforts to sustain public confidence in its certification process and uphold the credibility of Certificates of National Service.
Nafiu warned that certificate forgery and racketeering, discrepancies in records and delays in certificate issuance remained key challenges requiring continuous vigilance and stronger operational safeguards.
“We must remain vigilant against challenges such as certificate forgery and racketeering, discrepancies in records, delays in certificate issuance, and the growing demand for faster, more transparent and accessible services,” he said.
He emphasised that maintaining the integrity of the certification process required collective responsibility, continuous review of procedures and the adoption of appropriate technology to improve efficiency.
In his welcome address, the Director, Corps Certification Department, Alhaji Abdullahi Jikamshi, said the workshop would examine critical issues affecting certification and identify practical measures to improve service delivery.
Jikamshi noted that although the Scheme had recorded significant milestones over the years, emerging operational challenges and technological advancements made continuous adaptation, innovation and process re-engineering necessary.
“The changing technological landscape and emerging operational hurdles require us to adapt, innovate and re-engineer our processes,” he said.
He added that lapses in certification procedures could undermine the credibility the NYSC had built over more than five decades.
“A single oversight or avoidable delay can damage the credibility that the NYSC has painstakingly built over five decades,” Jikamshi said.
The workshop is expected to strengthen the capacity of certification officers and support the NYSC’s efforts to establish a more secure, efficient and transparent certificate management system.
