NSA releases 132,000 PIN codes amid crackdown on bogus graduate data
By: Solomon Nartey Tetteh
The National Service Authority (NSA) has released PIN codes for 132,393 prospective national service personnel from 100 accredited educational institutions across Ghana for the 2025/2026 service year.
This figure reflects a major improvement in data integrity and transparency compared to previous years.
According to the NSA, enhanced validation processes have eliminated inflated or bogus submissions, resulting in a 26 percent average reduction in the number of declared graduates over the past three years, and a significant 36 percent drop compared to the 2022/2023 service year, when 211,170 graduates were mobilized.
“The current figures reflect a significant improvement in data integrity, driven by enhanced transparency and stricter validation measures. This process has effectively eliminated any form of inflated or bogus submissions,” the statement highlighted.
A breakdown of past data shows that 176,359 graduates were declared for 2023/2024 and 171,703 for 2024/2025, from 239 and 217 institutions respectively. This year’s lower figures are also attributed to a streamlined list of accredited institutions, down from 275 in 2022/2023 to 100 currently, representing a 63.6 percent reduction.
The NSA stated that the current data comes from a total of 135,990 final-year Ghanaian students submitted by 122 tertiary institutions.
However, 3,597 submissions from 22 institutions were rejected due to lack of accreditation. These institutions are not recognized by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC), and their graduates will not be deployed unless verifiable evidence of accreditation is provided.
The Authority has urged institutions with expired accreditation to regularize their status with GTEC within 30 days to ensure a smooth deployment process for their graduates. All institutional data released has been validated by GTEC.
Additionally, 908 PIN codes for private applicants, comprising Ghanaian students who studied abroad, deferred their service, or defaulted in previous years—are currently awaiting final verification from their respective institutions. The Authority reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining integrity in the national service mobilization process and ensuring that only qualified graduates from accredited institutions are deployed.
