Nigeria sacks Togo, Benin degree holders in civil service
The Nigerian government has terminated the employment of civil servants who obtained degrees from private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.
This action stems from concerns regarding the legitimacy of degrees awarded by these institutions, particularly following revelations about widespread certificate racketeering.
In August 2023, the Nigerian government announced that only eight universities in Togo and Benin Republic were accredited to award degrees to Nigerians. This announcement was prompted by an undercover investigation where a journalist reportedly acquired a degree from a university in Benin Republic within two months and used it to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) program. The investigation highlighted serious flaws in the accreditation process and raised alarms about the quality and authenticity of degrees being issued.
Following this investigation, an inter-ministerial committee was established to probe degree certificate milling—essentially, the illegal issuance of degrees without proper academic rigor. The then Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, disclosed that over 22,500 Nigerians had obtained fake degree certificates from these countries. As a result, he emphasized that these certificates would be invalidated as part of efforts to protect Nigeria’s reputation and ensure integrity within its civil service.
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The directive to sack civil servants with questionable degrees affects those who graduated from these institutions between 2017 and the present. Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, confirmed this development. A memo was issued to all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) instructing them to identify employees with such qualifications and terminate their appointments.
While specific numbers regarding how many civil servants have been affected remain unclear, reports indicate that some agencies have already begun implementing this directive. For instance, Caroline Embu, NYSC Director of Information, confirmed that five staff members had been dismissed under this new policy.
Rationale behind termination
The rationale for this sweeping action includes the protection of national integrity, addressing certificate fraud and encouraging legitimate education.
This move may also serve as a warning to potential students considering enrolling in unaccredited or dubious institutions abroad.
