Federal Government Shuts 22 Illegal Tertiary Institutions Across Nigeria

The Federal Government has intensified its crackdown on fake higher institutions, shutting down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country.

The action was carried out by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) following a nationwide clampdown on mushroom institutions undermining the credibility of Nigeria’s education sector. According to the Commission, the illegal schools were uncovered during personnel audits and financial monitoring exercises across the 21 federal colleges of education.

The move comes after President Bola Tinubu directed all regulatory agencies—including the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE—to weed out “certificate millers” from Nigeria’s higher education system.

Speaking at the 14th Convocation Ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, the President, represented by Rakiya Ilyasu, Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, stressed that his administration would not tolerate institutions issuing fake degrees and diplomas.

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“The integrity of our academic system must not be compromised,” Tinubu declared. “This administration remains committed to strengthening synergy among all education agencies to ensure efficiency, quality, and accountability.”

He further noted that the NYSC, JAMB, NUC, NBTE, and NCCE are already aligning their efforts to protect Nigeria’s education ecosystem from forgery and unrecognised institutions, both at home and abroad.

With the latest clampdown, education stakeholders have praised the move as a step towards sanitising Nigeria’s academic space, though many are also calling for the prosecution of operators of these illegal schools to serve as a deterrent.