The Federal Government has revealed that more than 22,500 Nigerians are currently holding fake certificates from unaccredited universities in Benin Republic and Togo. This alarming disclosure was made by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during a press conference marking his first year in office.
According to Prof. Mamman, a staggering 21,600 Nigerians obtained these fraudulent certificates from institutions in Benin Republic between 2019 and 2023, while another 1,105 received theirs from unaccredited universities in Togo.
The minister noted that these numbers were primarily collected from records of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other relevant sources.
“From all indications, the figure is higher than what we have already. This is because some individuals chose not to participate in the mandatory NYSC scheme and other engagements that would have enabled us to harvest their data,” Prof. Mamman said.
The announcement follows an undercover investigation by a journalist with The Daily Nigerian who exposed how easily a degree could be obtained within six weeks, even leading to participation in the NYSC.
Mamman expressed concern over how these fake certificates are being used to secure job opportunities in both government and private sectors, to the detriment of qualified individuals who earned their degrees legitimately.
The minister also highlighted that many of these so-called universities in Benin and Togo are not accredited to offer degree programmes, and in some cases, students did not even physically attend these institutions.
To address this issue, Mamman confirmed that a circular is being prepared from the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation to ensure that those holding fake certificates are identified and prosecuted.
He urged private sector employers to also investigate their staff’s qualifications and report any suspicious certificates to the Federal Ministry of Education.
Mamman reassured that only five universities in Benin and three in Togo are accredited to offer degree programmes, and graduates from these institutions are exempt from punitive measures.
In another development, the minister announced that about four million out-of-school children have been returned to classrooms through various government programmes, particularly those led by the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children.
The government’s ongoing efforts aim to reintegrate 3 to 4 million children annually, with a significant reduction in the number of out-of-school children expected by the end of the current administration.
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