The federal government has remained silent regarding the issue of over 22,700 fake university certificates allegedly obtained from institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.
Despite previously announcing its intention to cancel all fake certificates, the government has yet to issue a detailed statement on the matter.
Earlier this year, the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, disclosed that over 22,700 Nigerians were found to be in possession of fraudulent degrees obtained from unaccredited universities in these two West African countries.
According to the minister, over 21,600 of these certificates were from unaccredited universities in Benin Republic, while approximately 1,105 were obtained from institutions in Togo between 2019 and 2023.
This followed an undercover investigation by a journalist, who exposed how he was able to secure a degree in just six weeks, later participating in Nigeria’s mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
During a press conference marking his first year in office, Mamman explained that some of the data used to identify the fraudulent certificates came from records maintained by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), among other sources.
He also noted that the actual number of individuals involved could be higher, as many who obtained fake degrees may have avoided participating in the NYSC or other activities that would have allowed authorities to identify them.
“Sadly, these individuals are using fake certificates to secure jobs, often with the misconception that they studied abroad, while hardworking Nigerians, who truly earned their degrees, remain jobless,” the minister said.
To address the issue, Mamman confirmed that a circular was being prepared by the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, outlining steps for identifying and prosecuting individuals involved in fraudulent activities.
While the government has taken action against civil servants employed with degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo, particularly those obtained since 2017, and has begun sacking them, the fate of others, especially those without government jobs remains uncertain.
When LEADERSHIP Weekend reached out for further clarification on whether fake certificates had been officially canceled, Folasade Boriowo, the Director of Press at the Federal Ministry of Education, did not respond to the requests.
