If you are a prospective corps member who is trying to register for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program, you may encounter an error message on the NYSC portal that says “Invalid length for a base-64 char array or string”.
This error can be frustrating and confusing, especially if you don’t know what it means and how to solve it. In this blog post, I will explain the cause of this error and what you can do to fix it.
The Cause of the Error
The reason why the NYSC portal is showing this error is because the NYSC portal is trying to connect with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database to extract your data from their database and verify your details.
The NIMC database stores your biometric and demographic information that you provided when you enrolled for the National Identification Number (NIN). The NYSC portal uses a base-64 encoding scheme to convert your NIN into a string of characters that can be transmitted over the internet.
However, sometimes the NYSC portal fails to connect to the NIMC database or it receives an incomplete or corrupted string of characters from the NIMC database. This results in an invalid length for a base-64 char array or string error.
The Solution to the Error
There are two possible solutions to this error:
- Keep trying: Sometimes, the error is temporary and it may be resolved by refreshing the page or trying again later. You can also try using a different browser or device to access the NYSC portal. If you are lucky, you may be able to register successfully without encountering the error again.
- Check back later: Sometimes, the error is persistent and it may be caused by a technical issue on the side of the NYSC or the NIMC. In this case, there is nothing you can do but wait until the issue is fixed by the relevant authorities. You can check the official social media pages of the NYSC or the NIMC for updates on the situation and when it will be resolved.
Conclusion
The NYSC portal error: invalid length for a base-64 char array or string is a common problem that many prospective corps members face when they try to register for the NYSC program. The error is caused by a failure in communication between the NYSC portal and the NIMC database.
The error can be solved by either trying again later or waiting until the technical issue is fixed. I hope this blog post has helped you understand what this error means and how to fix it.
