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The NYSC Camp Checklist

Last updated: 26 August 2026Covers 2026 Batch B and C

Camp registration works on one rule: you either have the papers or you go home. Every batch, graduates travel across the country, reach the gate, and get turned back over a single missing sheet, usually not because it was hard to get, but because nobody told them in the right order.

This is the whole thing, in the order it actually happens: what to do before the portal opens, what to carry to the gate, where each document physically comes from, what it costs, and what to pack for 21 days.

Reading this on your way to camp? The printable version has tick boxes and needs no data.

Get the PDF

There are three gates, not one

01

Your school

Your name has to reach NYSC through the senate list. Your school controls this. Your job is to chase it.

02

The portal

Online registration, biometrics, payment, green card. This is where name and date-of-birth mismatches kill people.

03

The camp gate

Physical documents in a physical folder. No portal, no screenshots, no “it’s in my email.” Paper.

Most people prepare heavily for Gate 2 and get destroyed at Gate 3.

The full sequence

  1. 1

    Clear your school

    Library, bursary, department, hostel. Until you owe nothing, your name does not go up.

  2. 2

    Get NERD clearance

    Upload your final-year project to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, pass the plagiarism check, get supervisor and HOD approval, print the clearance slip. Mandatory since October 2025: no NERD slip, no camp registration.

  3. 3

    Confirm you are on the senate list

    Check at portal.nysc.org.ng with your institution, matric number and surname. If your name is not there after a couple of weeks, go to Student Affairs in person.

  4. 4

    Register online

    The portal opens for roughly one week per batch. Create a profile with a working email and Nigerian phone number, fill in your details, then go physically to an NYSC-accredited centre for biometric capture. Registration by proxy is prohibited and triggers disqualification. The official fee is around ₦3,000, and centres add charges on top.

  5. 5

    Print and sign your green card

    This is your registration summary slip and it is a camp-gate document. Print spares now.

  6. 6

    Wait for your call-up number

    It appears on your dashboard. This is your signal to start spending and packing.

  7. 7

    Print your call-up letter

    Released a few days before camp. In recent batches that has been the Monday before a Wednesday reporting date. It carries your state of deployment and your camp address. Print it in colour.

  8. 8

    Report to camp

    21 days. Arrive early on the opening day.

Steps 1 to 3 can take months and are largely outside your control. Steps 6 to 8 can take four days and will feel like an ambush. Prepare during the waiting.

Documents to carry to the camp gate

One folder, waterproof, at the top of your bag. Do not laminate anything.

Scroll sideways to see every column

DocumentCarryNotes
Call-up letterOriginal + 5 copiesPrint in colour
Green card (registration slip)Original + 2 copiesMust be signed
Statement of Result or CertificateOriginal + 5 copiesSchool-endorsed
School ID cardOriginal + 2 copiesFinal-year ID. UNILAG students: your photocard
Medical fitness certificateOriginal + 2 copiesGovernment or military hospital only, signed and stamped
NERD clearance slipOriginal + 2 copiesFrom your NERD dashboard
NIN slipOriginal + 2 copiesName must match your result
Passport photographs12White background. 8 for registration, 4 spare

Depending on who you are

  • Polytechnic graduates

    Your OND certificate, original plus copies. Checked at the gate.

  • Licensed professionals

    Doctors, nurses and pharmacists: your professional licence or registration certificate, original plus copies.

  • Married women

    Marriage certificate, evidence of change of name, and evidence of your husband’s place of domicile. These are also uploaded during online registration and support a relocation request.

  • Foreign-trained graduates

    International passport including the data page and entry/exit stamps, evidence your institution is accredited, and certified English translations of non-English credentials.

Photocopy everything at home. Camp towns run out of paper, power and patience on reporting day.

Where to get each document

NERD clearance slip

From
The NERD portal, through your institution or an accredited NERD Digital Service Centre.
Cost
Free if you upload it yourself and your school allows that. Accredited agents commonly charge ₦10,000 to ₦20,000.
Time
Days to weeks. It needs supervisor and HOD approval after the automated plagiarism check.
Watch out
Schools handle this very differently. Ask your own department rather than copying a friend at another school. The portal is slow during peak periods, and late-night attempts work better.

Senate list confirmation

From
portal.nysc.org.ng, and your school’s Student Affairs / DSA office.
Cost
Free.
Watch out
Schools upload in batches, so a missing name is not automatically a crisis. But if two weeks pass, go in person with your clearance form.

Green card

From
Printed by you from the NYSC portal after registration and payment.
Watch out
It has to be signed. Unsigned green cards get bounced at the documentation desk.

Medical fitness certificate

From
A government or military hospital: general hospitals, federal medical centres, teaching hospitals. Private clinics are not accepted.
Cost
Government hospitals typically ₦5,000 to ₦15,000 for the full package, teaching hospitals ₦10,000 to ₦20,000. Some general hospitals charge much less if you are only paying for tests.
Time
Often same day if you arrive early.
Watch out
It must be signed and stamped by a doctor employed by that hospital. Ask for a breakdown of what is included before paying. It is generally treated as valid for three months, so do not get it too early either. Take two passport photographs with you.

Call-up letter

From
Your NYSC dashboard, a few days before camp.
Watch out
Download it the moment it appears. The portal struggles in the 48 hours after release.

Passport photographs

From
Any photo studio.
Cost
₦2,000 to ₦5,000 for twelve.
Watch out
White background, plain top, no jewellery. Print extras, because you will be asked for passports repeatedly all service year.

No one can sell you a shortcut. Forged medical certificates and fake results are checked at camp. Being caught means being decamped: you lose the batch and the year.

What it costs

Realistic ranges as of August 2026. Your state, your school and your habits will move them.

Scroll sideways to see every column

LeanComfortable
NERD clearance₦0 (self-upload)₦20,000 (agent)
Registration + biometrics₦3,000₦10,000
Medical fitness certificate₦5,000₦20,000
Passport photographs (12)₦2,000₦5,000
Printing, photocopies, folder₦1,500₦4,000
Transport to camp₦5,000₦50,000
Whites, canvas, socks₦20,000₦60,000
Toiletries, bucket, net, bedding₦12,000₦30,000
Provisions and snacks₦8,000₦20,000
Power bank, torch, pouch, padlock, fan₦12,000₦40,000
Cash to carry into camp₦20,000₦35,000
Total≈ ₦88,500≈ ₦294,000

Three things to know

The allowance is fixed, the top-up is not

The federal corps allowance has been ₦77,000 a month since March 2025. Some states pay an additional allowance, many pay it late or not at all. Plan on ₦77,000.

It does not arrive immediately

Budget to fund camp and your first weeks at your PPA yourself.

Carry physical cash

Most camps have no ATM on site, network coverage is unreliable, POS queues are long, and vendors inside charge a premium on everything.

Prefer paper?

Same checklist, laid out for A4 with tick boxes.

Get the printable version

What to pack

What NYSC issues you

Khaki jacket and trousers, khaki cap, two NYSC white T-shirts, white shorts, jungle boots, white socks, crested vest. Sizing is unreliable, especially boots. Replacement khaki sets are sold inside camp, usually around ₦4,000 to ₦5,000.

Clothing

Scroll sideways to see every column

ItemQuantityNote
Plain white round-neck T-shirts5 to 7No prints or logos
White shorts, knee length5 to 7Plain
White canvas / sneakers1 pairBreak them in first
White socks7 pairs
Plain mufti (non-white)3 to 5 outfitsEvenings and off-duty
Bathroom slippers1 pair
Bedsheet and pillowcase1 set
Light blanket or duvet1Nights get cold, especially up north
Traditional attire1Carnival day
Underwear and singlets21 days’ worthPlain white or nude, because colour shows through white shorts
Sports bras4 to 5More practical than underwire during drills

Toiletries and washing

  • Bucket (most camps are bucket-wash)
  • Small bowl
  • Bathing soap and sponge
  • Two towels
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Roll-on deodorant
  • Body lotion
  • Shaving supplies or clippers
  • Toilet roll (more than you think)
  • Detergent and hypo bleach
  • Small mirror and comb
  • Sanitary pads or tampons, 2 to 3 packs
  • Skincare and hair products

Mosquito net and rope to hang it. Not optional.

Food

Cooking is strictly prohibited. Ready-to-eat only.

  • Garri, milk, sugar
  • Milo or cocoa
  • Golden Morn or instant cereal
  • Noodles you can soak in hot water
  • Biscuits, groundnuts, chin chin
  • Peanut butter
  • Plate, bowl, cup, spoon
  • Water and juice for day one

Power, security and gadgets

  • Phone and charger
  • Waist pouch for the parade ground
  • Torch or rechargeable lamp
  • Rechargeable fan
  • Two padlocks
  • Cash in notes

Power bank, 10,000mAh minimum. Camp power runs a few hours a day.

Health

  • Paracetamol
  • Antimalarial (ask your doctor about prophylaxis before you travel)
  • Oral rehydration salts
  • Your usual pain relief
  • Plasters and bandages
  • Hand sanitiser and insect repellent

Any prescription medication for 21 days plus a buffer. Tell the camp clinic about any chronic condition on arrival.

Stationery and odds

  • Notebook and several pens for SAED sessions and lectures
  • Transparent waterproof bag for documents
  • Hangers, pegs, laundry rope
  • Small umbrella
  • Stapler

Banned items

Bags are searched at the gate. Prohibited items are seized, and in some cases you face a disciplinary panel.

  • Electric stoves and hot plates
  • Gas cookers
  • Laptops
  • Tablets
  • Extension cords
  • Knives and sharp objects
  • Weapons of any kind
  • Alcohol
  • Political materials
  • Anything associated with secret societies

Often seized or disallowed, camp by camp

  • Glass mirrors
  • Forks
  • Expensive jewellery

Laptops and tablets are usually returned after the three weeks, but you will not have them during camp. Plan around that.

Arrival day

The sequence at most camps:

  1. 1Gate: documents and medical certificate checked
  2. 2Security screening: bags searched
  3. 3Hostel allocation
  4. 4Collect mattress from the store
  5. 5Document verification unit
  6. 6Biometric capture
  7. 7State code issued
  8. 8Bank account opened, if required
  9. 9Kit collection, then platoon

Your platoon

Your platoon number is usually the last digit of your state code.

In your first hour

Set up your mosquito net, padlock your bag and locker, greet the people around your bunk, and do not leave anything unattended.

Arrive early

Hundreds of people arrive at once. Early means a better bunk, a shorter queue and time to set up. Late means darkness and whatever is left. And do not travel at night: NYSC repeats this warning every batch for good reason.

Mistakes that send people home

  • Name or date-of-birth mismatch across NIN, JAMB and your result

    Blocks registration entirely. Fix it months ahead, because it cannot be fixed during registration week.

  • No NERD clearance slip

    Mandatory since October 2025. Everything else can be perfect and you will still be turned back.

  • A medical certificate from a private clinic

    Not accepted.

  • An unsigned green card

  • Planning to photocopy at camp

    The business centre will be overwhelmed.

  • Laminated documents

    They need to handle and stamp them.

  • A black-and-white call-up letter

  • Assuming your school handled NERD for you

    Confirm, in person, that your slip has actually been generated.

FAQ

Do I need the NERD clearance slip?

Yes. Since October 2025, every prospective corps member must have their final-year project deposited and verified in the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank, and must present the clearance slip at camp registration. It applies to foreign-trained graduates too, through a separate enrolment route.

How much does NYSC registration cost?

The official online registration fee is around ₦3,000. Accredited centres and cybercafés add their own charges for biometric capture and printing, so most people spend ₦5,000 to ₦10,000 in total at that stage.

Can someone register on my behalf?

No. Biometric capture must be done in person at an NYSC-accredited centre. Registration by proxy is prohibited and can trigger disqualification. Never share your portal login with an agent.

Can I use a private hospital for my medical fitness certificate?

No. It must come from a government or military hospital, and it must be both signed and stamped by a doctor employed there.

How many passport photographs do I need?

Twelve is the safe number: eight for registration and four spare. You will be asked for passports repeatedly throughout the service year, so print extras.

When does the call-up letter come out?

A few days before camp opens. In recent batches it has been released on the Monday before a Wednesday reporting date. Download it the moment it appears, because the portal gets congested immediately after release.

How much cash should I take to camp?

Between ₦20,000 and ₦35,000 covers personal expenses for the three weeks for most people. Take it in physical notes. Most camps have no ATM on site.

What is the monthly corps allowance?

₦77,000 from the federal government, in place since March 2025. Some states pay an additional allowance on top, but it varies widely and is not reliable.

My name is not on the senate list. What do I do?

Wait a week, because schools upload in batches. If it still is not there, go physically to your Student Affairs or DSA office with your clearance documentation and ask them to confirm you were included in the upload.

Can I bring my laptop?

No. Laptops, tablets and extension cords are banned in most camps. They are typically seized and returned after the three weeks.

Get the printable checklist

Same content, laid out for A4 with tick boxes, so you can print it, put it in your folder, and stop scrolling on camp Wi-Fi that does not exist.

One download, and we only write again when the checklist is updated for a new batch. Unsubscribe any time.

Compiled August 2026 from official NYSC guidance, current mobilisation reporting, and first-hand accounts from corps members who served in 2026. Costs and requirements change between batches. Always confirm against portal.nysc.org.ng and your institution’s Student Affairs office. Credentia is not affiliated with the National Youth Service Corps.

Something wrong or changed in your batch? Tell us, and we update this page every batch.

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NIN Enrollment

Get your NIN, or fix a name that does not match your result.

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JAMB UTME Registration

Where your JAMB result slip and matriculation list come from.

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Needed by foreign-trained graduates at the camp gate.

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Where the Statement of Result sits in the longer paper trail.

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