The Federal Government has directed an immediate halt to the independent accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities by professional bodies not affiliated with the National Universities Commission (NUC).
The directive, announced in a circular dated May 9, 2025, was issued by the Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, following approval by the Minister of Education. It was addressed to all vice-chancellors of Nigerian universities and comes amid concerns about growing duplications and overlaps in accreditation processes.
“The Honourable Minister of Education has therefore approved that henceforth, all professional bodies shall no longer be allowed to conduct independent accreditation of academic programmes in Nigerian universities,” the circular read.
However, the government granted waivers to seven professional regulatory councils that may continue their accreditation duties in collaboration with the NUC. These are:
- Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)
- Council of Legal Education (CLE)
- Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria
- Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN)
- Veterinary Council of Nigeria
- Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
- Architects Registration Council of Nigeria
Professor Ribadu emphasized that the move is aimed at streamlining regulatory oversight, reducing redundancies, and ensuring alignment with the NUC’s broader quality assurance framework.
“The Federal Ministry of Education observed an increasing trend of multiple accreditations, leading to confusion and waste of resources,” the NUC stated.
This policy shift is expected to strengthen NUC’s central role in university programme evaluation and standardisation, while improving efficiency and accountability in higher education governance.
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