Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Education is considering an assessment test for Nigerians who hold degrees from foreign institutions, particularly in other African countries, before their qualifications are cleared for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) mobilisation. The proposal was reported on 9 and 10 November by the News Agency of Nigeria and BusinessDay.

The proposal

Dr Folake Olatunji-David, who oversees the office of the Permanent Secretary at the ministry, raised the idea at the 37th meeting of the National Standing Committee on Evaluation of Foreign Qualifications in Abuja. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, she pointed to the growing number of Nigerians studying abroad, especially in West Africa, and to rising cases of forged Nigerian and foreign certificates.

She said the aim was to ensure that certificates are earned, and invited the committee to consider a test "if necessary". The proposal has not been approved, and no date or procedure has been announced.

The ministry also said that the evaluation of foreign certificates and the authentication of Nigerian certificates have been automated and digitised since the start of 2026.

Other items before the committee

The committee was also asked to consider monitoring Nigerians enrolled in African institutions, including through visits to those institutions; recognising foreign regulatory bodies that share accreditation information through diplomatic channels; guidelines on foreign secondary-school qualifications; and rules for no-objection letters for proposed institutions.

Reactions quoted by BusinessDay were mixed. Some educators supported testing as a way to confirm genuine learning, while others argued that sanctioning institutions found to have issued irregular degrees, and tackling certificate racketeering inside Nigeria, would be more effective.

Practical points

For graduates, the reports indicate that existing evaluation and NYSC procedures continue to apply until any new rule is formally issued. Anyone offering paid access to a new test or a faster clearance route should be treated with caution. Employers reviewing foreign qualifications can confirm accreditation with the regulator in the country where the degree was awarded and ask the institution to confirm attendance and award directly.

Sources

This News Desk report summarises information published by the sources above, written in our own words. Persons named in criminal matters are accused, not convicted, unless a court has ruled otherwise. To report an error, use our contact page.

NigeriaForeign qualificationsNYSCCertificate evaluationDegree verification

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