The Nigerian government’s recent decision to ban degree certificates from universities in Togo and Benin Republic has raised eyebrows. The move, announced by Education Minister Tahir Mamman, aims to tackle fake degree racketeering. However, the blanket ban has been criticized for being too harsh and unfair.
The controversy began when a national daily exposed how a reporter obtained a degree certificate from a Benin university within six weeks. An inter-ministerial committee was set up to investigate, leading to the suspension of degree certificate evaluations from Togo and Benin. The minister later revealed that only three universities in Togo and five in Benin were officially approved, implying that all other graduates held fake certificates.
However, data from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) showed that 21,684 students from Benin Republic and 1,105 from Togo obtained fake certificates between 2019 and 2023. The government promised to weed out fake degree holders, but the ban has been deemed too drastic.
Critics argue that the ban punishes all graduates from these countries, despite many holding genuine certificates. The NYSC’s method for generating the data on fake degree holders is also unclear. Furthermore, the ban does not address similar issues in local universities.
Stakeholders in Benin Republic have disputed the minister’s claims, stating that there are eight public and 95 private accredited universities. Graduates from the blacklisted universities have protested, calling for a reversal of the order.
The Nigerian government must re-engage with the governments of Togo and Benin to address the issue. A more informed decision can be made by scrutinizing programs run by accredited universities against universal academic standards. This approach will help identify fake degree holders while allowing deficient programs to improve.
The blanket ban on Togo and Benin university degrees has sparked controversy due to its harsh and unfair nature. The Nigerian government must reconsider its approach to address the issue of fake degree racketeering without punishing genuine graduates.
