FG moves to tackle fake foreign degrees, considers assessment tests for holders

The Federal Government is considering introducing assessment tests for Nigerians holding degrees from foreign universities, particularly those in African countries, as part of efforts to curb certificate fraud and safeguard academic standards.

This was made known in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on November 9 and signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

The proposal was presented by Dr Folake Olatunji-David, Director overseeing the Office of the Permanent Secretary, at the 37th Meeting of the National Standing Committee (NSC) on Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications in Abuja.

FG considers assessment tests for foreign degree holders

The proposed tests form part of measures being considered to strengthen the evaluation and verification of foreign academic qualifications presented for official recognition in Nigeria.

• “The Federal Government is considering assessment tests for Nigerians holding degrees from foreign universities, particularly in African countries, to curb certificate fraud and safeguard academic standards,” the ministry said.

At the meeting, Olatunji-David stressed that international education should not come at the expense of acceptable academic standards.

She highlighted the need to strengthen verification processes and establish that applicants genuinely attended the institutions that awarded their qualifications.

Ministry strengthens verification of foreign qualifications

The Ministry disclosed that it had automated and digitalised the evaluation of foreign qualifications and authentication of Nigerian certificates since the beginning of 2026.

The committee is also considering measures to monitor Nigerians studying in African institutions and recognise foreign regulatory bodies as reliable sources for verifying academic qualifications.

• Other issues under consideration include developing equivalence guidelines for foreign secondary-school qualifications, ensuring that foreign-curriculum schools operating in Nigeria comply with national education policies, and establishing guidelines for issuing letters of no objection to proposed institutions.
• The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening the verification process and regulatory frameworks governing foreign qualifications.

It said the measures were intended to ensure that only genuine qualifications obtained from recognised and accredited institutions receive official recognition in Nigeria.

Previous efforts to tackle certificate fraud

The proposed assessment tests come amid ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to tackle certificate fraud and strengthen the verification of academic qualifications obtained both locally and abroad.

• In January 2024, the Federal Government suspended the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo following an undercover investigation that exposed how a reporter obtained a degree from a university in Benin Republic within six weeks.
• The government subsequently set up an investigative process to address certificate racketeering.
• In March 2026, the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) reported digitising nearly 100,000 student submissions across more than 250 tertiary institutions within four months. The platform is designed to preserve academic records digitally and make them verifiable as part of efforts to tackle certificate fraud.

In September 2026, the Federal Government automated the evaluation and authentication of academic certificates, allowing applicants to complete the process online without visiting the Ministry of Education physically.