The Federal Government is considering introducing assessment tests for Nigerians who obtained degrees from foreign universities, particularly institutions in African countries, as part of efforts to tackle certificate fraud and strengthen the recognition of academic qualifications.
The proposal was disclosed 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.
It 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.
According to the ministry, the proposed assessment tests would form part of measures to improve the evaluation and verification of foreign academic qualifications submitted for official recognition in Nigeria.
Olatunji-David stressed that international education should not come at the expense of acceptable academic standards.
She also called for stronger verification procedures to establish that applicants genuinely attended the institutions that awarded their certificates.
FG 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.
Other measures under consideration include monitoring Nigerians studying in African institutions and recognising foreign regulatory bodies as reliable sources for verifying academic credentials.
The committee is also considering developing equivalence guidelines for foreign secondary school qualifications and ensuring that foreign curriculum schools operating in Nigeria comply with national education policies.
It is further reviewing guidelines for issuing letters of no objection to proposed educational institutions.
The ministry said the measures were aimed at ensuring that only genuine qualifications obtained from recognised and accredited institutions receive official recognition in Nigeria.
Previous efforts to tackle certificate fraud
The latest proposal comes amid ongoing efforts by the Federal Government to address certificate fraud and improve the verification of academic qualifications obtained locally and internationally.
In January 2024, the 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 initiated 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 was established to preserve academic records digitally and make them verifiable as part of efforts to tackle certificate fraud.
In September 2026, the Federal Government also automated the evaluation and authentication of academic certificates, allowing applicants to complete the process online without physically visiting the Ministry of Education.
