The Federal Government has intensified its fight against certificate fraud, issuing a nationwide enforcement directive under the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD) programme, effective October 6, 2025.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, outlined in a service-wide circular that all Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and higher institutions—public, private, or military—must verify the academic credentials of current and prospective staff through the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) of NERD before confirming appointments.
From October 6, an NCVS clearance, which includes a National Credential Number (NCN) and secure document codes, will be mandatory for all employees, ensuring certificates, diplomas, and honours are authentic, traceable, and verifiable nationwide.
The NERD programme, introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in March 2025, is designed to curb academic fraud, including fake degrees, unearned honours, and certificates from unaccredited institutions. Ms. Haula Galadima, Executive Director for Communication and Cybersecurity at NERD, said the system now enables instant verification of genuine awards and will host the National Database of Resource Persons.
NERD is a federated quality assurance tool connecting decentralized systems across Nigeria’s higher education sector. Its governing council comprises top leaders from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, regulatory bodies, and related agencies, with the Minister of Education serving as chair.
Galadima emphasised that NERD safeguards national security, protects the integrity of education, and enhances Nigeria’s global competitiveness through a robust digital verification framework.
