According to the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, between 2019 and 2023, more than 22,500 Nigerians used forged diplomas from unrecognized universities in the Benin Republic and Togo. More than 21,600 of these people obtained their certifications from unrecognized schools in the Benin Republic, and about 1,105 did so in Togo. These forged certifications have been used to obtain employment in the public and private sectors by pretending to be graduates of foreign universities.
Records from the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) and other sources were the main sources of the data. As some people avoid participating in mandated programs like NYSC, which could reveal their phony qualifications, the Minister said that the actual figure may be higher. Moreover, it was discovered that a large number of these people never really went to the schools. Private Sector businesses are advised to carefully check the credentials of their employees who claim to have foreign degrees, as the government is drafting a circular to identify and penalize individuals implicated.
Prevalence of fake certificates shows lack of trust in local ed’s quality.
Also, the Minister mentioned that graduates of the three approved colleges in Togo and the five certified universities in Benin are not subject to the punitive measures. The Minister also stated that a goal of three to four million out-of-school children being returned to school each year has been achieved with the reintegration of roughly four million out-of-school children into classrooms through various educational programs. Education expert Dr. Adebayo Olagunju stated, “The prevalence of fake certificates reflects a lack of trust in the quality and accessibility of local education as well as a legal issue.”
Employers should be more careful to confirm academic credentials, and the Nigerian Educational System needs to raise the bar. Employers are frequently under pressure to fill positions with individuals who seem qualified on paper, especially in highly competitive sectors, according to labour market analyst Sarah Idowu. But using phony certifications compromises workforce integrity and disadvantages those with legitimate degrees.” The problem also explains why a large number of Nigerians choose to study overseas at unreliable institutions.
Reputable educational institutions should be backed.
Many students choose these unaccredited institutions, frequently without realizing the long-term repercussions, due to factors like the high expense of tuition in recognized overseas universities, the scarcity of admission spots in respectable local universities, and the perceived prestige of foreign degrees. Conversely, the government’s initiatives to reintegrate children who are not enrolled in school have been largely successful. For instance, the number of children in Nigeria who are not in school has drastically decreased from an estimated over 10 million to about four million thanks to the efforts of the National Commission for Almajiranci children and Out-of-School Children. Many of these children were previously absent.
One such success story is 12-year-old Musa Abdullahi, who is now achieving academic success and hopes to become a Teacher to support other kids in similar circumstances after being reintegrated into the school system. The Minister underlined the value of backing reputable educational institutions in response to the problem of phony certifications. Employers, educators, and legislators were urged by him to get involved in projects that would enhance the standard and accessibility of Education in Nigeria and guarantee that students would have access to legitimate credentials and authorized programs.
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“We must work together to restore the integrity of our educational system and ensure that every certificate represents genuine achievement and hard work,” said Prof. Mamman. The Federal Ministry of Education has thankfully started to take steps to improve the foreign degree verification procedure, which will make it harder for people to get away with faking their credentials. Maintaining the integrity of their workforce also requires employers, especially in the private sector, to thoroughly check the academic qualifications of their staff members.