The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially recognized only eight universities in Togo and Benin Republic as accredited to award degrees to Nigerians. This was confirmed by the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics programme.
During a press conference last Friday, marking his one year in office, Minister Mamman disclosed that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fake degree certificates from institutions in these two countries. He stressed that these certificates would be invalidated. The minister revealed that this action is based on a report submitted to the Federal Executive Council by a committee tasked with investigating degree certificate racketeering by both foreign and local universities in Nigeria.
The decision follows an undercover investigation where a Nigerian journalist managed to acquire a degree from a university in Benin Republic in less than two months and subsequently used it to secure deployment for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Minister Mamman emphasized that the Nigerian government only recognizes three institutions in Togo and five in Benin Republic as legitimate universities authorized to offer degree programs to Nigerian students. The recognized universities in Togo are:
- Université de Lomé
- Université de Kara
- Catholic University of West Africa
In Benin Republic, the accredited universities are:
- Université d’Abomey-Calavi
- Université de Parakou
- Université Nationale des Sciences, Technologies, Ingénierie et Mathématiques
- Université Nationale d’Agriculture
- Université Africaine de Développement Coopératif
The minister reiterated that there would be no reversal of the federal government’s decision to cancel approximately 22,700 certificates issued to Nigerians by these so-called "fake" universities in neighboring Togo and Benin Republic.
Mamman justified this decision by explaining that many Nigerians who obtained degrees from such “illegal” institutions have tarnished the country’s reputation. He added, “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria but obtained their certificates through racketeering, in collaboration with government officials both at home and abroad.”
The minister further urged both the public and private sectors to cooperate in identifying and removing individuals holding these fake certificates from their employment. The federal government will specifically target those in government service through the offices of the Head of Civil Service and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.