By John Alechenu, Abuja
The Federal Authorities has intensified its crackdown on certificates racketeering and tutorial fraud, directing the nationwide enforcement of necessary credential verification from October 6, 2025.
The directive, contained in a service-wide round signed by the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation, Senator George Akume, mandates all Ministries, Departments and Businesses (MDAs), in addition to private and non-private larger establishments, to implement structured tutorial credential checks underneath the Nationwide Coverage for the Nigeria Training Repository and Databank (NERD).
Underneath the coverage, all present and intending workers should get hold of clearance via the Nationwide Credential Verification Service (NCVS) earlier than affirmation of appointments. Every clearance will carry a Nationwide Credential Quantity (NCN) and safety codes, making each verified certificates, diploma, or award traceable and verifiable.
The round harassed that this reform departs from previous interventions by making a system-wide high quality assurance scheme unbiased of any single establishment, consistent with Part 10(1) of the Training (Nationwide Minimal Requirements and Institution of Establishments) Act 1985.
The NCVS was formally launched in March 2025 by the Minister of Training, Dr. Tunji Alausa, following Federal Government Council approval. On the launch, Alausa described it as a decisive transfer to curb pretend levels, phoney honours, and diploma mill practices undermining Nigeria’s training integrity.
In an e-mail assertion, Ms. Haula Galadima, Government Director of Communication and Cybersecurity for NERD, confirmed that each one providers underneath the programme are actually operational. She urged MDAs, colleges, and personal sector employers to enrol their NERD Focal Individuals and Data Officers through ned.gov.ng/onboarding.
“NERD is a federation initiative and the nation’s customary for larger training digitisation. It’s designed to guard nationwide safety, safeguard training integrity, and improve the worldwide competitiveness of Nigeria’s tutorial system,” Galadima mentioned.
She defined that NERD administers the Nationwide Scholar Quantity (NSN), Nationwide Credential Quantity (NCN), and Nationwide Doc Quantity (NDN), making certain each real certificates or award is digitally identifiable. It will feed right into a Nationwide Database of Useful resource Individuals, enabling instantaneous verification of educational honours.
In response to her, pretend levels thrive as a result of verification is cumbersome and typically compromised. The brand new platform creates a federated one-stop digital system linking decentralised institutional databases whereas preserving their autonomy.
The NERD Governing Council, chaired by the Minister of Training, includes key sector regulators and information privateness our bodies, together with the NUC, NBTE, NCCE, Nationwide Library, Committee of Vice Chancellors, Committee of Rectors, Committee of Provosts, and the Nigeria Knowledge Safety Fee.
Galadima emphasised that the reform is collectively owned by all tertiary establishments and regulatory organs, including:
“By October 6, pretend levels and unearned honours will now not slip via the cracks. Each credential offered in Nigeria should be verifiable on the click on of a button.”
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