By | Goodluck E. Adubazi, Abuja
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is considering the adoption of biometric identification for the issuance of Certificates of National Service as part of efforts to combat certificate forgery, improve accountability and strengthen the integrity of its certification process.
The Director-General of the NYSC, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, disclosed this at the 2026 NYSC Certification Officers’ Workshop held in Abuja, where he urged certification officers across the country to acquire the necessary digital skills to improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
Nafiu, who was represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mrs Grace Ogbuogebe, said the Scheme would soon transition to an electronic records management system to enhance the security, accessibility and reliability of its records.
He stressed that the adoption of appropriate technological solutions, including biometric identification, would be 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,” he said.
The workshop, themed “Repositioning NYSC Certification: Overcoming Challenges and Driving Seamless Service Delivery,” focused on strengthening the certification process and addressing emerging operational challenges.
The NYSC chief directed that deliberate steps be taken to migrate paper-based Certificate of National Service production and issuance registers to an Electronic Documents and Records Management System (EDRMS).
According to him, a comprehensive digital archive would facilitate prompt retrieval and tracking of records, improve accountability and protect vital documents against physical damage, loss and unauthorised alterations.
He said the transition would require certification officers to develop the competencies needed to adapt to the evolving technological landscape and meet growing expectations for efficient public service delivery.
Nafiu reaffirmed the Scheme’s commitment to maintaining high standards of accountability and service excellence, noting that public confidence in the NYSC depended significantly on the credibility and integrity of its certificates.
He also identified certificate forgery and racketeering, discrepancies in records, delays in certificate issuance and increasing demands for faster, more transparent and accessible services as challenges requiring sustained attention.
“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.
The Director-General emphasised the importance of collective responsibility in protecting the integrity of the certification process, adding that the Scheme would continue to review its procedures and strengthen operational safeguards.
Earlier, the Director of the Corps Certification Department, Alhaji Abdullahi Jikamshi, said the workshop would deliberate on critical areas aimed at improving service delivery and addressing the challenges confronting certification officers.
Jikamshi acknowledged that the Scheme had recorded significant milestones over the years but noted that emerging operational difficulties and technological changes 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 warned that avoidable errors and delays 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 added.
