The Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, has revealed that more than 22,500 Nigerians are holding fake degrees obtained from unaccredited universities in Benin Republic and Togo between 2019 and 2023. The announcement was made during a press conference in Abuja on Friday to mark his first year in office.
According to Professor Mamman, the majority of these fraudulent certificates—about 21,600—were issued by unaccredited institutions in Benin Republic, while around 1,105 were obtained from similar institutions in Togo. The figures were gathered from records held by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other sources. However, the actual number could be higher, as some individuals avoided the NYSC program to evade detection.
“These fake degrees have been used by individuals to secure jobs in both the public and private sectors, depriving deserving candidates with legitimate qualifications of opportunities,” Mamman stated.
The minister expressed concern that many of these universities are not even accredited in their own countries. Investigations further revealed that some degree holders never physically attended these institutions, raising questions about the legitimacy of their education.
To address the issue, the Federal Government is preparing a circular, in collaboration with the Office of the Head of Service, to identify and prosecute those involved in using fake degrees. The directive will also extend to private sector employers, urging them to verify the foreign certificates of their employees and report any suspicious qualifications obtained between 2019 and 2023.
Professor Mamman also clarified that only five universities in Benin Republic and three in Togo are accredited to offer degree programs. Graduates from these institutions will be exempt from the investigation and punitive measures.
In a related development, the minister highlighted that about four million out-of-school children have been reintegrated into classrooms through various government initiatives led by the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children. The administration aims to continue this momentum, with a target of returning 3 to 4 million children to school each year.
This crackdown on fake degrees follows an investigative report by a Nigerian journalist who obtained a degree from a Benin Republic university within six weeks and even completed the NYSC program. The exposé led to the Nigerian government suspending the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo, intensifying efforts to curb the proliferation of fraudulent certificates.
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