The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has introduced an innovative initiative aimed at employing blockchain technology to verify the authenticity of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates.
Yusuf Kashafu, the Director-General of NITDA, made this announcement on Wednesday while delivering a Keynote address at the policy dialogue for the implementation of the National Blockchain themed: “Driving Sustainable Economic Growth and Development through the Adoption of Blockchain Technology” organized by NITDA in collaboration with Stakeholders in Blockchain Technology Association of Nigeria (SiBAN), held in Lagos.
NITDA has taken the initiative to tackle the persistent issue of certificate forgery and fraudulent issuance. In collaboration with the newly appointed Director-General of NYSC, Brigadier-General Yusha’u Ahmed, they are leading the way in creating an advanced certificate authentication system based on blockchain technology.
He said, “The NYSC certificate has been a concern due to widespread cases of forgery and fraudulent issuance,”
Yusuf Kashafu highlighted that this innovative approach has been designed to ensure the integrity and validity of NYSC certificates, ultimately enhancing transparency and fostering trust within the certification process.
How blockchain technology can help authenticate certificates
Kashafu underlined the transformative potential of blockchain technology in revolutionizing the process of certificate verification. This initiative holds the promise of ushering in a new era of secure and reliable certification.
In his words, “We recognize the urgent need to combat the prevalent issue of forged NYSC certificates in Nigeria. “By leveraging blockchain’s power, we aim to establish a secure, tamper-proof system that will enable individuals, institutions, and employers to easily verify the authenticity of NYSC certificates.”
According to the NYSC, the punishment for forging its certificate is likely a jail term depending on the court’s ruling. There have been several high-profile cases of NYSC certificate forgery in Nigeria.