TheCable

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) says the organisation is developing a blockchain technology to authenticate National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificates.

Yusuf Kashafu, director-general of the agency, spoke on Wednesday at a policy dialogue on implementation of the national blockchain in Lagos state.

Kashafu said the NITDA has contacted Yusha’u Ahmed, NYSC DG, to pioneer the development of the advanced blockchain-based certificate authentication system.

He said the initiative is crucial to address growing concerns over fraudulent issuance and forgery of NYSC certificates.

The NITDA DG added that the measure will enhance transparency in certificate issuance process and strengthen the integrity and validity of NYSC certificates.

He explained that when fully implemented, individuals, institutions, and employers will be able to verify the authenticity of NYSC certificates with ease.

Kashafu called on relevant authorities in the country to harness the potentials of blockchain technology to revamp certificate verification process.

“The NYS certificate has been a concern due to widespread cases of forgery and fraudulent issuance. We recognise the urgent need to combat the prevalent issue of forged NYSC certificates in Nigeria,” he added.

“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.”