The Federal Government is stepping up its crackdown on certificate racketeering with the enforcement of the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).
The directive, issued through a service-wide circular dated August 8, 2025, by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, takes effect on October 6, 2025.
It mandates all government ministries, departments, and agencies, as well as public and private higher institutions, to verify academic credentials of staff and recruits using the NERD programme’s National Credential Verification Service (NCVS).
The system is designed to ensure that every certificate, diploma, and award is verifiable and traceable.
The initiative, approved by the Federal Executive Council earlier this year, includes a centralised databank to strengthen academic integrity.
It incorporates mandatory security features for certificates issued by accredited institutions, a National Thesis Depository, a National Publication Indexing Service, and a National Anti-Plagiarism Service.
The Ministry of Education has also directed the automation of accreditation and authentication processes, enabling students, employers, and regulatory agencies to verify credentials through designated online portals.
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As part of the measures currently underway, the government has suspended accreditation of degree certificates from Benin Republic and Togo following reports of fraudulent qualifications obtained from institutions in those countries.
An inter-ministerial committee is also probing private universities, foreign-trained graduates, and agencies implicated in certificate racketeering.
The Federal Government has further strengthened collaboration with the National Youth Service Corps to digitise verification of foreign-trained graduates.
Officials said the system is expected to make it easier to detect and block the use of fake degrees.
Authorities warned that individuals found to have procured or are using fraudulent certificates will face sanctions, including dismissal from employment and prosecution.