The Federal Government has announced plans to investigate the issuance of fake degree certificates by certain private universities in Nigeria, following revelations of certificate racketeering in neighboring Benin Republic and Togo by an investigative journalist.
Over the past 15 years, Nigeria has witnessed the establishment of at least 107 private universities, prompting concerns about the integrity of their academic programs.
The Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling, established by the Federal Government, will assess the infrastructure, management structures, funding, and staffing of these institutions to determine their compliance with regulatory standards.
The committee emphasizes that its investigation will complement the accreditation efforts of the National Universities Commission and encourages input from the public to facilitate its work.
The decision to launch the investigation follows the publication of an investigative report by Daily Nigerian journalist Audu, detailing how he obtained a degree within six weeks from Benin Republic and completed the mandatory National Youth Service Corps scheme in the country.
Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced the investigation during the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on fake degrees and degree mills.
The Committee Chairman, Jibrila Amin, outlined the committee’s mandate, which includes reviewing the role of government agencies and officials in facilitating the recognition and procurement of fake certificates, assessing accreditation processes, identifying unapproved foreign institutions operating as degree mills, and making recommendations to enhance the integrity of Nigeria’s degree recognition and accreditation system.
