The Management of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) has issued a public advisory to students and prospective corps members, urging them to follow the approved virtual process for enrolment and related services.
In a statement dated February 20, 2026, and referenced NERD/Gen/2026/27, the agency cautioned students against physically visiting cyber cafés or unverified centres for NERD-related procedures.
According to the advisory, all NERD services are designed to be conducted virtually through phone calls, email, WhatsApp, and other remote communication channels, eliminating the need for physical presence at any location.
As part of its mandate to promote job creation, NERD disclosed that it has engaged Nigerian entrepreneurs to establish over 1,200 Digital Service Centres (DSCs) across the country. Each DSC is equipped with about three Enrolment Centre Operators (ECOs).
Students have been directed to engage only accredited DSCs or ECOs whose verified contact details — including phone numbers, email addresses, and locations — are officially published on the NERD lookup portal.
The management stressed that distance is not a barrier, noting that any accredited DSC or ECO can validly process a student’s registration regardless of geographical location.
Students were further advised to confirm the accreditation status of any centre or operator through the official lookup portal before engaging their services. Centres or operators whose details cannot be found on the NERD portal should not be patronised.
NERD also announced that the maximum approved charge for data entry and enrolment upload by any accredited DSC is ₦2,500.
The agency warned that any DSC or ECO demanding fees above the approved amount should be reported immediately to its support email, support@ned.gov.ng, with details of the centre or operator involved.
The management emphasised that strict adherence to the directive would safeguard the integrity, transparency, and security of the NERD system.
“By adhering strictly to this directive, you help safeguard the integrity, transparency, and security of the NERD system,” the statement read.