Nigerian government bans UCC, UEW over alleged issuance of fake degrees

The government has taken action against a total of 18 foreign universities in Nigeria, denouncing them as "degree mills" and cautioning Nigerians against enrolling in these institutions.

The ban, issued by the National Universities Commission (NUC), extends to five universities from the United States, six from the United Kingdom, and others in neighbouring countries like Togo and Benin.

In an official statement published on its website, the NUC clarified that the affected universities lacked the necessary licensing from the Federal Government and, as a result, had been shut down.

According to the statement, "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."

This move comes in response to an investigative report by a journalist revealing fraudulent practices in the awarding of degrees by universities in Benin and Togo. The exposé by the Daily Nigerian highlighted a thriving certificate racketeering syndicate, particularly in neighbouring African nations, where university degrees were being sold to willing buyers in Nigeria.

The undercover investigation detailed how a reporter obtained a university degree from Cotonou within six weeks at an "affordable rate." The certificate and transcript featured the legitimate scan code of Ecole Superieure de Gestion et de Technologies, ESGT, Benin Republic, indicating that the reporter purportedly began the program in 2018 and graduated on September 5, 2022.

Below are the 18 universities affected by the Nigerian government’s ban:

1. University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin.

2. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana.

3. The International University, Missouri, USA, with study centers in Kano and Lagos.

4. Columbus University, UK.

5. Tiu International University, UK.

6. Pebbles University, UK.

7. London External Studies UK.

8. Pilgrims University.

9. West African Christian University.

10. EC-Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre.

11. Concept College/Universities (London), Ilorin.