FG Orders Certificate Verification Across Public, Private Sectors

The federal government is now moving against certificate forgers. From October 6, 2025, all Ministries, Departments, Agencies, military and paramilitary bodies must begin mandatory verification of staff credentials.

The directive follows rising concern about fake certificates eroding Nigeria’s education integrity. Officials say it is a decisive step to restore credibility to the system.

At the centre of the reform is the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a digital platform designed to preserve and verify all academic records nationwide.

How the Policy Will Work

The new policy requires every government body, school, and private institution to subject staff and prospective employees to strict verification.

A circular dated August 8, 2025, signed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, ordered all institutions to adopt the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS).

Under the system, no appointment can be confirmed without an NCVS clearance. Each clearance will generate a National Credential Number (NCN) with unique security codes linked to verified documents.

This replaces the old method of depending on issuing schools, which was prone to manipulation. The directive draws legal authority from Section 10(1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, 1985.

“The circular is self-explanatory and I don’t think there should be any reason for conjectures,” said Yomi Odunuga, media aide to Senator Akume.

NERD officials say the infrastructure is now fully operational. “NERD is a quality assurance tool. NERD is the federation’s standard for higher education digitisation,” said Ms. Haula Galadima, Executive Director for Communication and Cybersecurity.

According to her, the scheme will also issue the National Student Number (NSN), National Credential Number (NCN), and National Document Number (NDN). These will make every academic award “identifiable, traceable, verifiable, and validatable.”

Past Scandals and Public Reactions

In 2020, NECO sacked 89 employees over fake certificates. By 2024, JAMB uncovered 3,000 graduates parading forged degrees from unaccredited institutions.

Former Minister of Education Tahir Mamman revealed that between 2019 and 2023, about 22,500 Nigerians obtained fake certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.

In 2025, the ICPC secured conviction against a Federal Airports Authority staff member for presenting a forged trade test certificate.

The new verification may expose thousands of unqualified workers in the public and private sectors. But officials insist it will restore trust in Nigeria’s education and protect future generations.

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