Fake Degrees: FG Probes 107 Universities, Calls For Mememoranda

The Federal Government has called for memoranda from the public as it initiates an inquiry into privately owned universities established within the past 15 years.

Prompted by an investigative report from Umar Audu, a journalist at the Daily Nigerian, exposing certificate fraud in neighboring Benin Republic and Togo, the Federal Government launched the investigation.

Checks revealed that over 107 private universities have been established within 15 years.

The Federal Government’s Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling will assess whether private universities established in the past 15 years possess the necessary facilities, management structure, adequate funding for programmes, and appropriate staff composition (including full-time, contract, adjunct, visiting, and other types).

The committee is set to review the activities and performances of 107 private universities created in the past 15 years over concerns relating to the issuing of fake degrees.

Areas to be examined include having the required facilities, proper management, sufficient program funding, necessary staff qualifications, and types of staff employed—including full-time, contract, adjunct, visiting, and other categories.

Through the committee, the government published an advertorial on Tuesday asking members of the public for input that will help them make their final decisions.

The committee said its activities would be “without prejudice to the periodic accreditation exercise of the National Universities Commission.”

“Memoranda from the general public are, therefore, solicited to provide information to the committee to help it make appropriate recommendations to address the menace in line with its terms of reference.”