The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, has revealed that more than 22,500 Nigerians are currently using fake degrees obtained from unapproved universities in Benin Republic and Togo.
The Minister made this announcement during a press briefing in Abuja to mark his first year in office.
Prof. Mamman stated that between 2019 and 2023, around 21,600 Nigerians obtained fraudulent degrees from unaccredited institutions in Benin Republic, while an additional 1,105 secured similar fake qualifications from Togo.
These numbers, he mentioned, were gathered through multiple sources, including data from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and other undisclosed channels.
However, the Minister warned that the actual figures could be much higher, as many of those involved deliberately avoided the NYSC programme or other official engagements that could have exposed their fake credentials.
The Minister expressed concern over how these individuals have used their bogus degrees to secure jobs in both government and private sectors, thereby excluding qualified candidates who genuinely earned their degrees.
“It is upsetting to see that people who worked hard to earn genuine degrees are being sidelined by those holding fake certificates, obtained under the guise of studying abroad,” Prof. Mamman lamented.
Even more troubling is that the institutions where these degrees were obtained are not accredited to offer degree programmes in their home countries.
Prof. Mamman questioned why Nigerians choose to study at such institutions, saying, “I don’t understand why Nigerians opt for unaccredited institutions abroad to ‘study’.”
“Our investigations have also shown that many of these individuals never even physically attended the schools they claim to have graduated from.”
In response to this widespread fraud, the Minister announced that a directive is being prepared by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
This directive will require government agencies and private sector employers to verify the academic qualifications of their employees.
Anyone found to have obtained a degree from these unaccredited institutions between 2019 and 2023 will face prosecution.
“We are urging private sector employers to conduct thorough checks into the foreign degrees presented by their employees.
Anyone found presenting a fake certificate should be reported to the Federal Ministry of Education for prosecution,” Prof. Mamman warned.
The Minister clarified that only five universities in Benin Republic and three in Togo are accredited to offer degree programmes.
Graduates from these accredited institutions are exempt from the punitive measures.
While addressing the issue of fake degrees, Prof. Mamman also emphasized the Federal Government’s efforts in reducing the number of out-of-school children, a significant challenge in Nigeria’s educational sector.
He revealed that through various initiatives, particularly those led by the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, about four million children have been reintegrated into the classroom.
The Minister expressed hope that with ongoing efforts, the government aims to reintegrate an additional 3 to 4 million children into the education system annually.
“Our goal is to ensure that by the end of this administration, we will have made significant progress in reducing the number of out-of-school children, a critical issue that directly impacts our national development,” he said.
These changes ensure the content remains informative while avoiding potential copyright issues.
