The Federal Government has initiated an investigation into private universities established in the last 15 years, soliciting memoranda from the public as part of the inquiry.
The probe was prompted by an investigative report by Daily Nigerian journalist, Umar Audu, revealing certificate racketeering in neighboring Benin Republic and Togo.
According to records, a total of 107 private universities were established within the specified timeframe.
A specially constituted Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling has been tasked by the Federal Government to assess the facilities, management structure, funding, and staffing of these institutions. The committee aims to determine if the universities comply with prescribed standards.
In an advertisement published in The PUNCH, the committee urged the public to provide information to assist in its investigation and address the identified issues.
The probe follows a report by Umar Audu detailing his acquisition of a degree within six weeks from Benin Republic and subsequent enrollment in the National Youth Service Corps scheme in Nigeria.
The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, announced the investigation on January 9, 2024, during the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on fake degrees and degree mills.
The committee, chaired by Jibrila Amin, is mandated to scrutinize the roles of government agencies and officials in facilitating the recognition and procurement of fake certificates. Additionally, it will review processes for accrediting foreign universities and programs, identify unapproved foreign institutions in Nigeria, and recommend measures to strengthen accreditation processes.
The committee will also propose sanctions for any identified misconduct and suggest improvements to the system of recognizing, accrediting, and assuring the quality of degrees in Nigeria, including reviewing procedures for granting provisional licenses to new universities by the National Universities Commission.