Mobilisation bottlenecks leave poly graduates waiting for NYSC

Thousands of Higher National Diploma (HND) graduates from polytechnics across Nigeria are stranded months—and in some cases years—after completing their studies as they await mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Many of the affected graduates blame administrative bottlenecks within their institutions and the limited mobilisation quota allocated by the scheme for the prolonged delay.

Findings indicate that the situation has left many graduates unable to secure employment or move forward with their careers, as several organisations require proof of NYSC completion or exemption before offering jobs.

While some graduates initially linked the challenge to admission documentation processed through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, the board has clarified that it does not handle admissions into HND programmes, shifting attention to institutional clearance processes and the NYSC mobilisation framework.

Some of the affected graduates described the experience as frustrating, saying the delay had disrupted their career plans and exposed them to economic and social pressure.

Kaduna State Polytechnic has recently been in the spotlight over alleged delays in mobilising its graduates for the NYSC programme.

A graduate of the institution, who identified himself simply as Usman, said he completed his programme two years ago but had yet to be mobilised despite submitting all required documents.

He accused the institution’s management of repeatedly requesting the same documentation without resolving the issue.

“They keep asking us to submit documents again and again, and nothing changes. I submitted my regularisation printout but they said they could not find it. I submitted it again and still nothing. People keep asking about my NYSC status and it is frustrating,” he said.

Another graduate, Zainab Asmau, said the delay had caused emotional and financial strain, adding that some graduates had waited for more than three years without mobilisation.

“This is not just a delay on paper; it has destroyed real lives. Qualified graduates have lost job opportunities simply because they cannot present an NYSC certificate,” she said.

Another graduate, Abubakar, said the delay had forced many graduates to watch their peers move ahead with their careers.

“Imagine gaining admission before your younger brother and graduating ahead of him, but while you are still waiting for mobilisation, he finishes his programme and moves ahead. It is very painful,” he said.

An official of Kaduna State Polytechnic, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, attributed the delay partly to the limited mobilisation slots allocated to institutions by the National Youth Service Corps.

“Kaduna Polytechnic has thousands of students, but every institution is given a specific number of slots for mobilisation by NYSC. So it is impossible for all graduates to be mobilised at once,” the official said, adding that the backlog was also linked to broader challenges facing the scheme.

A Kaduna-based radio presenter, Omachi Philip, also criticised the situation in a video shared on social media, claiming that thousands of graduates from the polytechnic had yet to be mobilised.

“What did Kaduna Polytechnic do to NYSC that students will finish school and mobilisation becomes a problem? Some parents are beginning to doubt whether their children actually went to school because someone graduates and more than three years later he has not served,” he said.

Similar complaints were raised by graduates from other institutions.

A Quantity Surveying graduate from Kwara State Polytechnic, Idayat Folorunso, said she completed her HND programme in July last year but was still waiting to be mobilised.

“I finished HND in July last year. They told us they were working on our mobilisation for NYSC even after the graduation list was released. Those who graduated before us also waited almost a year before they were mobilised,” she said.

An Administration graduate of The Polytechnic, Ibadan, Ibrahim Koleoso, said many graduates from the institution had been waiting for months to be mobilised.

“I graduated last year and we are still expecting the NYSC mobilisation. It is almost four months now. We are tired of staying at home. You cannot apply for jobs. Some people have been delayed for eight months and others have not even had their results released yet,” he said.

A former Students’ Union Government President of Adamawa State Polytechnic, Saheed Muhammed, accused the NYSC of sidelining polytechnic graduates during mobilisation.

“The NYSC management is always sidelining polytechnic graduates. Some schools also run HND programmes without meeting the prerequisites, and that delays students,” he said.

Graduates from Kano State Polytechnic also blamed the NYSC for delays in mobilisation, alleging that the scheme had become selective due to the increasing number of graduates produced annually.

One of the graduates, who finished his programme in July 2025, said he had spent more than eight months waiting to be mobilised.

“I graduated about eight months ago but I am still at home waiting for mobilisation and it is not forthcoming,” he said, adding that some of his friends who graduated from Bayero University Kano were also yet to be mobilised.

Another graduate, Sani, said the delay appeared to be a national problem and urged the Federal Government to address the bottlenecks affecting the mobilisation process.

However, the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of Kano State Polytechnic, Auwal Bagwai, attributed the delay to documentation issues involving JAMB and the NYSC.

According to him, some graduates were rejected during the upload process because their JAMB registration numbers were not recognised.

He explained that affected graduates had been advised to reprint their JAMB slips and re-upload them to correct the discrepancies, although some failed to comply.

Bagwai added that polytechnics across the country had already lodged complaints with the NYSC headquarters over the issue.

In Sokoto State, several graduates of The Polytechnic, Sokoto, also expressed frustration over prolonged delays in mobilisation.

One of them, Ibrahim Yusuf, said he had been unable to secure stable employment because many organisations require proof of national service.

“I graduated about eight months ago and expected to be mobilised with the next batch, but our names have not appeared on the portal. Each time we contact the school, they tell us to keep waiting,” he said.

Another graduate, Mohammed, said the delay had created financial pressure for many who hoped to complete their national service and move on with their careers.

Graduates of Edo State Polytechnic have also been affected by delays in mobilisation.

However, the institution’s Public Relations Officer, John Eson, said partial accreditation of some programmes had contributed to the challenge.

“A good number of our students have been mobilised in the past. Some programmes were given partial accreditation and that is what we are working to resolve with the National Board for Technical Education,” he said.

Education data indicate that universities and polytechnics collectively produce about 600,000 graduates annually, while the NYSC mobilises between 240,000 and 350,000 corps members each year, creating a significant backlog.

Reports also suggest that more than 500,000 graduates are currently awaiting mobilisation.

Analysts say the backlog may have worsened after the Federal Government increased the monthly allowance of corps members from ₦33,000 to ₦77,000, which may have reduced the number of graduates mobilised per batch.

Experts warn that the delay is compounding youth unemployment, as many graduates remain unable to secure jobs that require proof of national service.

They also caution that with the increasing number of tertiary institutions across the country, pressure on the mobilisation system will continue to grow unless the scheme expands its capacity.

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Is-haq Oloyede, said the board was not responsible for admissions into HND programmes or the mobilisation of graduates for the NYSC.

He explained that the board only facilitates admissions into National Diploma, degree and Nigeria Certificate in Education programmes.

“The board is not responsible for admitting HND students into polytechnics and therefore has no data to facilitate their entry into the NYSC scheme,” he said.

The National Board for Technical Education attributed the delays to compliance issues and violations of academic procedures by some institutions.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Idris Bugaje, said some institutions fail to enforce the mandatory one-year Industrial Training required after the National Diploma before students proceed to HND programmes.

“If a student proceeds to HND without completing the mandatory one-year Industrial Training, the NYSC will not mobilise that student because the academic progression is incomplete,” he said.

He added that institutions must upload students’ records on the NBTE HND admission portal to enable proper verification.

An NYSC official also explained that mobilisation depends on the upload of graduates’ details by the NBTE.

“Once the NBTE uploads students’ details on the portal, they can register for NYSC mobilisation. If their details are not on the portal, they cannot register,” the official said.