Every degree awarded in Nigeria must be accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to be legally recognised. While the role of awarding degrees is mainly with universities, NUC also accredits some tertiary institutions as affiliate degree awarding institutions in Nigeria.
The accreditation department of the NUC manages all accreditation of degree programmes. Under it is the Affiliate Accreditation Division, which manages those of affiliate degree awarding institutions in the country. The division has units for federal, state and private universities.
Functions affiliate institution division of NUC
Aside the coordination of the accreditation of Full-Time/Part-Time programmes in Affiliate Institutions, the affiliate division does the following.
- Obtaining annually, the list of approved Full-Time/Part-Time programmes of the Colleges from the Department of Academic Standards to determine the list of programmes mature for accreditation.
- Preparing monthly and annual reports on all the activities of the Division.
- Responding to inquiries and advising the NUC on all issues that relate to accreditation of academic programmes in Affiliate Institutions.
Affiliate degree awarding institutions in Nigeria
The affiliate degree awarding institutions in Nigeria range from regular polytechnics to colleges of education. We also have seminaries/theological institutions, monotechnics, colleges of legal studies and other post-secondary school institutions that offer degree programmes in affiliation with approved universities.
The NUC regularly has a list of them on its website and in its weekly bulletin. Universities are also expected to advertise admissions into such institution that are affiliated with them.
Candidates seeking admission into affiliate institutions are not exempted from the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) from 2018.
At the end of their studies, students of affiliate degree awarding institutions are awarded degrees of the mother university.
Invariably, affiliate degree awarding institutions may develop their staffing and facilities to become accredited universities as time progresses but that is not sacrosanct. For example, Ignatius Ajuru University of Education used to be Ignatius Ajuru College of Education and an affiliate of the University of Ibadan for its degree programmes.
Instruments for accrediting affiliate degree awarding institutions in Nigeria
The following instruments are used for accreditation of Affiliate Institutions:
- Manual for accreditation procedures for academic programmes in Nigerian universities;
- Self-Study form (NUC/SSF)
- Programme Evaluation Form (NUC/PEF)
- Accreditation Panel Report Form (NUC/APRF)
- Accreditation Re-visitation Form (NUC/ARVF)
Pre-Accreditation Activities
- Drawing up list of academic programmes to be accredited
- Compilation of list of Panel Chairmen/Members, time-tabling and budgeting
- Organising the accreditation coordination meeting for panel chairmen and members.
Post Accreditation Activities:
- Analysing Accreditation Reports (Technical and Administrative).
- Ranking of programmes and universities, based on their accreditation status.
- Publishing of accreditation status of programmes.
- Issuance of certificates to programmes that earned Full and Interim accreditation results.
Click here to see the list of approved affiliate degree awarding institutions in Nigeria.
