The Nigerian government has placed a ban on 18 foreign universities operating in the country.

This follows a scandal that arose after an investigative journalist, Umar Audu, revealed how he obtained a degree from a university in Benin Republic within six weeks and also participated in the mandatory one-year scheme organized by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

In the report, Audu, a journalist with a Nigerian newspaper, stated that he had reached out to a syndicate that specialized in selling degree certificates in December 2022, graduated in February 2023 and was issued a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication certificate from the Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies, Cotonou, Benin Republic.

While reacting to the scandal, the Federal Ministry of Education condemned the certificate racketeering and berated Nigerians who engaged in desperate methods to get a degree.

To further register its anger, the ministry immediately issued a directive announcing the temporary suspension of evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from some tertiary institutions from Benin, Togo, United States, the United Kingdom, and Ghana, describing them as “degree mills,’’ with a warning to Nigerians to avoid enrolling in such institutions.

According to a statement by Augustina Obilor-Duru, the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, the “suspension of the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from the Republic of Benin and Togo would subsist pending the outcome of an investigation involving the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Nigeria, the two countries as well as the Department of State Security Services and the National Youths Service Corps.”

“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 Republics pending the outcome of an investigation that would involve the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria and the two countries, the ministries responsible for Education in the two countries as well the Department of State Security Services and the National Youths Service Corps,” she said.

“The ministry therefore wishes to call on the general public to support its efforts, show understanding, and provide useful information that will assist the Committee in finding lasting solutions to prevent further occurrence.

“The ministry has also commenced internal administrative processes to determine the culpability or otherwise of her staff for which applicable Public Service Rules would be applied”, she added.

Also reacting to the development, the National Universities Commission (NUC) said the federal government had not licensed the affected universities and that they had been closed down.

A statement from the NUC said:

“The National Universities Commission wishes to announce to the general public, especially parents and prospective undergraduates that the under-listed “degree mills” have not been licensed by the Federal Government and have therefore been closed down for violating the Education (National Minimum Standards, etc.) Act of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004”.

It went on to list the affected varsities as the University of Applied Sciences & Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria, Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria; the International University, Missouri, USA, Kano, and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria and the Collumbus University, United Kingdom operating anywhere in Nigeria.

Others on the banned list include Tiu International University, UK, Pebbles University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria, London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria, Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria, West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria, EC-Council University, USA, Ikeja, Lagos Study Centre and Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria.

The remaining schools are Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria, Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria, University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria, Cape Coast University, Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria, African University Cooperative Development, Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria, Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre and Evangel University of America & Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.