FACT-CHECK: Students Must Submit Final-year Project Before NYSC, But No Evidence of New Uniform ”Khaki” Policy

By Mustapha Lawal

Claim:

A viral Facebook post, also circulating across several WhatsApp groups, claims that students must now submit their final CGPA and final-year project before going for National Youth Service (NYSC). The post further claims that different NYSC uniforms will be issued based on class of degree. The image attached to the post shows the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, implying that the new directive came from his office.

Verdict:

Misleading. While it is true that students must now submit their final-year projects before mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), there is no evidence of any directive linking NYSC uniforms to degree classifications.

Full Text:

The claim surfaced on Facebook and quickly spread across WhatsApp groups, accompanied by an image of Senator George Akume. The post alleged that Nigerian graduates must now upload their final CGPA and project before being allowed to participate in the NYSC scheme, and that uniforms would differ based on whether a graduate finished with a first class, second class, or lower degree.

The claim has generated mixed reactions among students and recent graduates, with many expressing confusion and concern over the supposed uniform policy.

The Federal Government recently announced that all graduates must submit their final-year research projects, dissertations, or theses to the Nigeria Education Research and Development Council (NERDC) repository before mobilisation for NYSC or issuance of an exemption certificate.

This new policy, confirmed by several credible media outlets including Daily Trust and BusinessDay, was introduced to promote research integrity, centralise academic records, and curb plagiarism in Nigerian institutions.

However, Nigerians have also been grappling with widespread misinformation about the policy, including false claims that it introduces new categories or appearances of NYSC uniforms.

Verification:

FactCheckAfrica conducted a keyword search using terms such as “NYSC new uniform degree class,” “George Akume NYSC directive,” and “NERDC NYSC project submission.” The search returned no credible reports or official statements linking degree classification to uniform colours or designs.

A reverse image search of the photo used in the viral post traced it to multiple unrelated news articles about Senator George Akume dating back to 2023. The image has been used in various political and policy contexts and has no connection to any NYSC announcement.

Further checks on the official NYSC website and verified social media accounts of the Corps revealed no statement or press release mentioning a new uniform policy.

In contrast, the policy on mandatory project submission is well-documented. On September 29, 2025, the Office of the SGF confirmed that graduates from both Nigerian and foreign institutions must submit their final research projects via the NERDC database starting October 6, 2025.

This was part of the government’s efforts to create a unified educational databank and prevent academic malpractice. The directive did not include any mention of NYSC uniforms, CGPA-based classification, or similar distinctions.

Conclusion:

The viral post mixes fact with falsehood. While it is true that students must now submit their final-year projects before NYSC mobilisation, there is no evidence that NYSC will issue different uniforms based on degree class. The inclusion of Senator George Akume’s image in the post appears to lend.