Nigeria Cracks Down on Fake Degree Certificates from Benin, Togo

The Nigeria Government has authorized the termination of employees in both the public and private sectors found to possess counterfeit degree certificates from the Republics of Benin and Togo.

At a press conference in Abuja on Friday marking his first anniversary in office, Minister of Education Tahir Mamman announced that these measures were approved during a recent federal executive council meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

Mamman stated that certificates obtained from these countries since 2017 are deemed worthless, with those using them to be dismissed. He revealed that, according to NYSC records, 22,789 students have been identified with fake certificates.

“One of the key initiatives this year addressed reports of students acquiring certificates from neighboring countries, sometimes without attending classes. A committee reviewed these cases, and its findings were approved by the federal executive council last month,” Mamman said.

He explained that the recommendations will be implemented in collaboration with other ministries and agencies, including NYSC and Immigration. “We cannot have individuals with fake certificates competing against our graduates who have spent years earning their degrees legitimately,” Mamman added.

The minister detailed that, according to NYSC data, 21,684 students have fake certificates from Benin Republic (issued between 2019 and 2023), while 1,105 have fake certificates from Togo. These certificates are from institutions not recognized in those countries.

Mamman emphasized that only a few universities in Togo and Benin are officially approved to offer degrees, and any certificates from unrecognized institutions are invalid. He further noted that many individuals did not even attempt the NYSC screening or disappeared during the process.

The federal government has instructed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to issue a circular to all employers, both public and private, to identify and address employees with these fraudulent certificates. Additionally, the Head of Service has been tasked with removing individuals with fake certificates from the public service.

“This is the federal government’s definitive stance on this issue,” Mamman concluded.