August 19, 2024
By Adedoja Adesoji
The Federal Government has instructed all higher education institutions across the country to “regularly submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education within three months after matriculation ceremonies.”
These lists must be sent “through the designated channel of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.”
This directive stems from a recommendation by a committee established by the Federal Government to address the issue of fraudulent degree mills and their operators.
In March, the Federal Government formed an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to examine the activities of certificate fraudsters, prompted by a Daily Nigerian report exposing fake degree mills in the Benin Republic.
Daily Nigerian reporter Umar Audu demonstrated how he acquired a degree within six weeks and completed mandatory youth service under the National Youth Service Corps in Nigeria.
The report, highlighting the illegal practices of certain tertiary institutions in West Africa, resulted in the Nigerian government banning the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo.
Minister of Education Tahir Mamman, after reviewing the committee’s findings, indicated that holders of fraudulent degrees from both Nigerian and foreign universities would be removed from the system.
In a memo to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board dated July 15, 2024, the education ministry stated, “You may remember that following reports of certificate fraud involving some foreign institutions, particularly in Cotonou, Benin Republic, and other nations, the ministry formed an inter-ministerial committee to investigate and address these issues.
“The committee has delivered its report, and the Honourable Minister of Education has endorsed its recommendations for action.
“Therefore, I am directing the implementation of the following recommendations:
“Require all tertiary institutions in Nigeria to process their admissions exclusively through the Central Admissions Processing System managed by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board; and mandate that all institutions submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education within three months after matriculation ceremonies via the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s designated channel.
“You are requested to carry out these recommendations and provide the ministry with updates on their implementation.”
