The Federal Government of Nigeria has confirmed the dismissal of workers who obtained their degrees from unaccredited private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.
This action affects civil servants who graduated from these institutions between 2017 and the present.
Key Developments
The move is part of the government’s efforts to cleanse the civil service of fraudulent practices. According to Segun Imohiosen, spokesperson for the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the dismissal process is already underway.
In August 2024, the Federal Government had announced that only eight universities in Benin Republic and Togo were accredited to award degrees to Nigerians. This decision followed an undercover investigation by Daily Nigerian journalist Umar Audu, who obtained a degree from a Benin Republic university in just two months and used it to gain entry into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Following this revelation, the government took steps to suspend the recognition of degrees from unaccredited institutions in these countries and set up an interministerial committee to investigate certificate racketeering. The previous Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, revealed that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fake degrees from these institutions, and announced that these certificates would be cancelled.
Impact on Government Employees
The NYSC has already implemented the directive, with the Director of Information, Caroline Embu, confirming the dismissal of five staff members who were affected by the measure. This follows a broader plan to eliminate individuals holding unverified degrees from positions in Nigeria’s civil service.
This move has been supported by several government officials, including former senator Shehu Sani, who highlighted the issue in November 2024. The crackdown aims to maintain the integrity of the civil service by ensuring that only verified and accredited academic qualifications are recognized.
