Eighteen Universities Hit by Fake Degree Inquiry in Nigeria

The Federal Government of Nigeria has banned eighteen (18) universities following a scandal over fake degrees in the country after an exposé by investigative reporter Umar Audu.

In his report, Mr. Audu, who works with the Daily Nigerian newspaper, showed growing concerns about students being mis-sold fraudulent degrees when he went undercover and acquired a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication in just under six weeks from École Supérieur de Gestion et de Technologie (ESGT-Benin University) in Cotonou, Benin Republic.

“I was not even issued an admission letter and don’t know where this school is located. All I did was get this agent, who requested 380,000 Naira as tuition fee and other expenses for the evaluation letter. I never attended the school. I never attended the school, either online or physically,” the journalist said in a recent interview. (Watch here)

The journalist went further and used the same bogus certificate to enroll at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the mandatory one-year nation-building program, which was successful.

What puzzles him is how his name appeared on the NYSC list of genuine university graduates when he had a fake certificate, which makes him doubtful whether the Federal Ministry of Education (FME) is working based on its mandate.

Now, the National Universities Commission has responded with a crackdown on degree fraud and is conducting a fake degree inquiry, which has so far affected 18 universities, most of which are private but operating in Nigeria. Here they are;

List of universities with fake degrees in Nigeria

1. The International University, Missouri, USA, Kano and Lagos Study Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria
2. Columbus University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria
3. Tiu International University, UK, operating anywhere in Nigeria
4. Pebbles University, UK operating anywhere in Nigeria
5. London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria
6. University of Applied Sciences and Management, Port Novo, Republic of Benin, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria
7. Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria
8. Irish University Business School London, operating anywhere in Nigeria
9. University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria
10. Cape Coast University, Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria
11. African University Cooperative Development, Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria
12. Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre
13. Evangel University of America and Chudick Management Academic, Lagos
14. Pilgrims University operating anywhere in Nigeria
15. West African Christian University, operating anywhere in Nigeria.
16. EC-Council University, USA, Ikeja Lagos Study Centre
17. Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its campuses in Nigeria
18. Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria

On his part, Education Minister Tahir Mamman said such fake universities undermine the reputation of Nigeria’s higher learning system, and after the inquiry, they will issue a new directive that may see the West African country fail to recognize degrees from Uganda, Kenya, and Niger.