The House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to rescind its blanket invalidation of degree certificates obtained from the Republics of Benin and Togo.

The green chamber made the decision following the consideration and approval of reports from its Committee on Public Petitions, which reviewed concerns raised after the Federal Government announced a ban on recognising university degrees from the two West African countries.

The House urged the Federal Government to adopt a case-by-case verification mechanism to address confirmed instances of fraud, rather than imposing a blanket sanction.

It also recommended that the Federal Ministry of Education work closely with education authorities in Benin and Togo to strengthen verification frameworks, curb academic fraud, and authenticate foreign qualifications.

In addition, the lower chamber suggested that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Information and National Orientation Agency, should raise public awareness to educate Nigerians on verifying the accreditation status of foreign institutions and obtaining homologation or equivalence certification where applicable.

The House further called on the Federal Government to ensure that its future policies align with Nigeria’s bilateral, regional, and international treaty obligations.

Background of the Ban

In January 2024, the Nigerian government suspended the accreditation and evaluation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo.

This followed a report detailing how a degree was acquired from a university in Benin Republic in under two months.

“This report lends credence to suspicions that some Nigerians deploy nefarious means and unconscionable methods to get a degree with the end objective of getting graduate job opportunities for which they are not qualified,” said the Ministry of Education spokesperson, Augustina Obilor-Duru, in a statement.

“The Federal Ministry of Education vehemently decries such acts and, with effect from 2nd January 2024, is suspending evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from Benin and Togo pending the outcome of an investigation that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, the ministries responsible for education in the two countries, the Department of State Security Services (DSS), and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).”

The ministry also called on Nigerians to assist by providing information to help the committee find lasting solutions to prevent future occurrences.

“FME has been contending with the problem, including illegal institutions located abroad or at home preying on unsuspecting, innocent Nigerians and some desperate Nigerians who deliberately patronize such outlets,” the statement added.

Defence of the Ban

The then Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, defended the decision, saying that Nigerians who obtained degree certificates from such “illegal” tertiary institutions were denting Nigeria’s image.

Appearing on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, he said the measure to invalidate degrees from illegal universities in Benin Republic and Togo was not harsh, as authorities in the neighbouring Francophone West African countries also judged the concerned schools as fake.

The move followed a 2023 undercover investigation by a journalist, which detailed how he acquired a degree from a university in Benin Republic in under two months and was even deployed for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). (Channels TV, excluding headline)