FG to enforce mandatory certificate verification from October 6

The Federal Government has stepped up its fight against certificate racketeering and academic fraud, ordering the nationwide enforcement of mandatory credential verification from October 6, 2025.

The directive, issued through a service-wide circular signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, compels all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), as well as public and private tertiary institutions, to adopt structured academic checks under the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).

According to the policy, both existing and prospective staff must obtain clearance from the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) before appointment confirmation. Each clearance will carry a National Credential Number (NCN) and security codes, making every verified certificate traceable and verifiable.

The circular highlighted that the initiative is a departure from previous measures, creating a system-wide quality assurance scheme independent of any single institution, in line with Section 10(1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act of 1985.

The NCVS was launched in March 2025 by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, after Federal Executive Council approval. At the launch, Alausa described it as a bold step to end fake degrees, forged honours, and diploma mill practices that damage the credibility of Nigeria’s education system.

In a statement, Ms. Haula Galadima, Executive Director of Communication and Cybersecurity for NERD, confirmed that the service is fully operational. She advised MDAs, schools, and private employers to register their NERD Focal Persons and Records Officers via ned.gov.ng/onboarding.

“NERD is a federation initiative and the national standard for higher education digitisation. It is designed to protect national security, safeguard education integrity, and strengthen the global competitiveness of Nigeria’s academic system,” she said.

Galadima explained that NERD manages the National Student Number (NSN), National Credential Number (NCN), and National Document Number (NDN), ensuring that every authentic academic award is digitally identifiable. These will feed into a National Database of Resource Persons, enabling instant verification.

She noted that fake degrees thrive because verification has been slow and often compromised. The new platform creates a unified digital system linking institutional databases while maintaining their autonomy.

The NERD Governing Council, chaired by the Minister of Education, includes sector regulators and data protection bodies such as the NUC, NBTE, NCCE, National Library, Committee of Vice Chancellors, Committee of Rectors, Committee of Provosts, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission.