NYSC to Tighten Mobilization Process, Warns Against Data Manipulation

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) says it will strengthen controls over the mobilisation process — from admission through graduation — to curb record manipulation and ensure that only eligible graduates are mobilised for national service.

The Director-General, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this on Friday in Abuja at the 2026 Batch 'C' Pre-Mobilisation Workshop, which centred on accountability, data integrity and effective mobilisation practices within NYSC operations.

The workshop was themed "Strengthening Institutional Accountability, Data Integrity and Digital Innovation for Seamless NYSC Mobilisation," bringing stakeholders together to examine measures aimed at improving the exercise and reinforcing accountability across institutions.

Nafiu said the integrity of mobilisation data must be treated as a strategic responsibility by all Corps Producing Institutions (CPIs) involved in preparing graduates for national service. He identified several challenges the NYSC has encountered, including inaccurate personal records, unauthorised alterations made after Senate or Academic Board approval, the uploading of unqualified persons, record manipulation, and delayed submission of approved graduation lists.

According to him, these lapses have not only generated complaints and driven up operational costs but have also disrupted the mobilisation calendar, with knock-on effects for national planning and the deployment of corps members nationwide.

"Data management must therefore be treated as a strategic responsibility from admission through graduation and final mobilisation. Reliable data produces reliable outcomes," he said, stressing that institutional accountability must run across all CPIs.

The director-general said the NYSC would continue deploying technology to reduce manual interventions and improve transparency and efficiency in mobilising hundreds of thousands of graduates each year. He cautioned, however, that technology alone could not resolve weaknesses rooted in poor governance or institutional indiscipline, urging stakeholders to pair digital systems with stronger governance measures and institutional discipline.

"As we expand our digital infrastructure, stakeholders must strengthen the digital competence of personnel, improve cybersecurity awareness, protect institutional databases and embrace responsible innovation," he said.

Nafiu called for zero tolerance towards negligence, record manipulation, abuse of process, and any other practice capable of undermining the integrity of the mobilisation exercise across all CPIs. He urged institutions to reinforce their internal quality assurance mechanisms before transmitting graduates' data to the NYSC, and to comply strictly with approved mobilisation timelines while improving the verification of records.

He said the workshop's theme reflected the need for institutions and officers involved in mobilisation to take ownership of their responsibilities, follow approved procedures, and remain accountable for their decisions. Mobilisation, he added, is a shared responsibility that depends on stronger information sharing, open communication, and the prompt escalation of challenges to management when necessary.

The NYSC boss further called for continuous capacity building for mobilisation officers, tighter institutional controls to reduce errors and fraudulent practices, wider use of technology, stronger data protection, and regular procedural reviews. He said the ultimate goal was to simplify processes, eliminate bottlenecks, cut turnaround time and improve the experience of every Prospective Corps Member (PCM) during mobilisation.

Also speaking, the Director of Corps Mobilisation, Mrs Racheal Idaewor, described the workshop as an important platform for strengthening cooperation between the NYSC, CPIs and other stakeholders in the mobilisation process. She said the forum allowed stakeholders to assess existing procedures, share experiences, identify emerging issues, and agree on practical measures to improve the mobilisation of eligible graduates.

While acknowledging that considerable progress had been made, Idaewor noted that gaps remained across the mobilisation chain that still needed to be addressed. "Errors, omissions, duplicate entries, or intentional misrepresentation in the records of prospective corps members can compromise the integrity of the exercise and create unnecessary challenges for all concerned," she said.

She urged CPIs to ensure that the records they submit to the NYSC accurately reflect their graduates' genuine profiles, stressing that verification, proper documentation and timely submission remain core institutional responsibilities. She also appealed to student affairs officers to carry out their duties with diligence, honesty and a strong sense of responsibility, noting that the quality of submitted information directly affects the credibility of the mobilisation process.

Idaewor urged stakeholders to use the workshop to review existing procedures, draw lessons from past experiences, and develop practical solutions to identified gaps in order to improve mobilisation nationwide.

 The workshop brought together stakeholders from the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), deployment and relocation officers, and other actors involved in the exercise.