The Federal Government has dismissed civil servants who obtained degrees from private universities in Benin Republic and Togo between 2017 and 2023.
This decision follows investigations revealing widespread certificate racketeering by institutions in these countries. Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), confirmed the directive on Wednesday.
In August, the government announced that only eight universities in the two countries had been accredited to award degrees to Nigerians. This came after a journalist from *Daily Nigerian* exposed how a degree from a Beninese university was obtained within two months and used to join the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
The revelations led to a ban on accrediting degrees from Benin Republic and Togo, as well as the establishment of an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling.
Former Minister of Education, Tahir Mamman, disclosed that over 22,500 Nigerians acquired fake certificates from universities in these countries, many of which were obtained without ever traveling abroad. He emphasized that the government would invalidate all such certificates, stating, “The decision is not harsh, as such individuals dent the country’s image.”
The SGF has instructed all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) to terminate the appointments of affected employees. Agencies like the NYSC have already begun implementation, with five staff members reportedly dismissed.
The Federal Government urged private sector organizations to follow suit in eliminating fake certificates from their workforce.
