Yeah, you actually can get in legal trouble if you skip NYSC without a legit reason. I remember this guy at my aunt’s office who lied about finishing NYSC and almost got fired when HR caught on. In Nigeria, if you don’t have your NYSC certificate or an exemption, it’s basically illegal to work in most government and even some private offices. There have been cases where people were dragged to court or lost out on jobs just ‘cause they didn’t do NYSC or tried to fake their certificate.

The government takes it seriously, like there’s even a law for it (the NYSC Act). Still, loads of people try to find ways around it, especially if they studied abroad or are over the age limit (which is 30). But yeah, if you’re caught, you could go to jail or pay a fine. It’s honestly risky business. It just makes things tough if you’re trying to stay on the legal side of things, and a lot of young people get stuck worrying about it when all they want is a good job.