The Federal Government of Nigeria has dismissed civil servants who obtained degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo between 2017 and now.
The decision highlights the government’s concerns over the legitimacy of qualifications from institutions in these countries.
Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), confirmed the move on Wednesday. The action follows an August 2024 directive limiting recognition to only eight accredited universities in the two countries for Nigerian students.
This clampdown was triggered by an undercover investigation by Daily Nigerian, which revealed how a journalist secured a degree in just two months from a Benin Republic university and used it to enroll in Nigeria’s National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The exposé led the government to ban the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from these institutions. Government Investigations Expose Fraud .
To address the issue, an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling was established. Their findings were alarming: over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fraudulent degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo.
2024 Tahir Mamman, the former Minister of Education, revealed that many individuals with such degrees never even left Nigeria. Instead, they obtained fake certificates through local and international racketeering networks. Mamman emphasized the government’s determination to remove such individuals from the civil service. “Most of those parading the fake certificates didn’t even leave the shores of Nigeria but got their certificates through racketeering in collaboration with government officials at home and abroad,” he stated. “The Federal Government will ensure that all public servants with such fake certificates are removed from their positions. Private sector employers should also take similar actions.”
Dismissals Begin Across Agencies Although the total number of affected civil servants is unclear, sources confirmed that the OSGF had directed all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to identify and terminate employees with questionable qualifications. “There was a letter from the SGF cabinet affairs directing all ministries, departments, and agencies of government to identify and terminate the appointments of workers employed with certificates obtained from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo from 2017 to date,” an anonymous official disclosed.
Some agencies have already complied. The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) confirmed the dismissal of five staff members. Caroline Embu, NYSC Director of Information, stated, “Five members of staff were affected by the directive contained in the letter from the office of the SGF. No more.”
The Federal Government’s decisive action aims to preserve the integrity of Nigeria’s education system and employment processes. By addressing the proliferation of fraudulent academic qualifications, the government seeks to restore confidence in the nation’s institutions and safeguard public service standards
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