FG Instructs Universities To Submit Matriculation Lists To Combat Fake Degrees
The Federal Government of Nigeria has directed all higher institutions across the nation to submit their matriculation lists to the Federal Ministry of Education no later than three months after matriculation ceremonies. This submission must be made through the dedicated channel of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB).
This mandate is part of a broader effort to combat the proliferation of fake degree mills and certificate racketeering within Nigeria and neighboring countries. In March, the government established an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling to investigate the activities of such racketeers. The committee was formed in response to an investigative report by *Daily Nigerian* journalist Umar Audu, who exposed the ease with which degrees could be fraudulently obtained in the Benin Republic. Audu’s investigation revealed that he could secure a degree within six weeks, which allowed him to partake in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Nigeria, highlighting the severity of the issue.
The exposé led the Nigerian government to ban the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from Benin Republic and Togo. Following the submission of the committee’s report, the Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, emphasized the government’s commitment to flushing out holders of fake degrees from both Nigerian and foreign universities.
In a memo dated July 15, 2024, the Federal Ministry of Education conveyed its instructions to JAMB, underscoring the need for strict adherence to the recommendations of the investigative committee. The memo stipulated that all tertiary institutions must conduct their admissions exclusively through JAMB’s Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and submit their matriculation lists within the specified timeframe.
These measures are designed to ensure greater oversight and accountability in the admissions process, thereby curbing the issuance and recognition of fraudulent academic qualifications in Nigeria. The ministry has also requested that JAMB provide regular updates on the implementation of these directives.
