Nigeria blacklists 18 foreign varsities, warns against enrolment
The Nigerian government Tuesday announced the suspension of the evaluation and accreditation of degree certificates from universities in neighbouring Benin and Togo.
The development followed an undercover report by Daily Nigerian, which revealed certificate racketeering from a university in Benin Republic.
In the story, the undercover reporter got his degree six weeks after he joined the institution and came out with a degree without attending classes and writing any examination.
At the end of the day, the reporter bagged a degree certificate in Mass Communication from ESGT, a Benin university in Cotonou, established 2009.
Further to this, he applied and got registered to participate in the one-year mandatory NYSC scheme with the certificate despite undergoing the NYSC some years ago.
He had his way despite claims by the NYSC that there is no way its biometric checks could be manipulated to allow the same person undergo service twice.
On how he did it, the reporter said he changed his phone contact and email address used when he served previously.
…FG acknowledges
Augustina Obilor-Duru, who signed the statement on behalf of the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, said the decision followed the media report.
It said: “This report lends credence to suspicions that some Nigerians deploy nefarious means and unconscionable methods to get a Degree with the end objective of getting graduate job opportunities for which they are not qualified.”
The suspension, the ministry further said, stands pending the outcome of an investigation involving the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education of Nigeria and the two countries as well as the State Security Service (SSS) and the National Youth Service (NYSC).
Obilor-Duru said: “The issue of degree mills institutions, i.e. institutions that exist on paper or operate in clandestine manner outside the control of regulators is a global problem that all countries grapple with.
“FME has been contending with the problem including illegal institutions located abroad or at home preying on unsuspecting, innocent Nigerians and some desperate Nigerians who deliberately patronize such outlets. Periodically, warnings have been issued by the Ministry and NUC against the resort to such institutions and in some instances, reports made to security agencies to clamp down on the perpetrators.
“The ministry will continue to review its strategy to plug any loopholes, processes and procedures and deal decisively with any conniving officials.”
Foreign universities blacklisted
The National Universities Commission (NUC) had blacklisted some foreign universities, and warned Nigerians against enrolling in the institutions.
The institutions, as contained on the NUC website are; University of Applied Sciences and 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, Collumbus University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria; Tiu International University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria; and Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria.
Others are; 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, Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria, Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria, and Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
The rest include; 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 and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.
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