FG to Begin Mandatory Nationwide Academic Credential Verification October 6

The Federal Government has announced that the enforcement of the National Policy for the Nigerian Education Repository and Databank (NERD) will commence nationwide on October 6, 2025. The policy mandates a structured academic credential verification process across all Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and higher institutions.

In a circular dated August 8 and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, government institutions, both public and private, civilian and military, are required to confirm the authenticity of all academic qualifications through the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) before finalising appointments. Each clearance will come with a National Credential Number and security codes for tracking and record purposes.

Akume explained that the initiative introduces a unified quality assurance mechanism that ensures every certificate, diploma, or award presented in Nigeria originates from an accredited institution and is verifiable within seconds. This reform eliminates dependence on individual schools for verification and provides a national safeguard against compromise. It is backed by Section 10(1) of the Education Act of 1985 and was first proposed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in 2023.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, described the NCVS as a systemic approach to tackling academic fraud, fake certificates, and unaccredited awards. Meanwhile, NERD’s Executive Director of Communication and Cybersecurity, Haula Galadima, confirmed that the system is fully ready for nationwide deployment, urging all institutions and private sector stakeholders to register their NERD focal persons online. She highlighted that the platform also manages the National School Number (NSN), National Credential Number (NCN), and National Document Number, while hosting a database of resource persons for instant verification. The NERD Governing Council, chaired by the Minister of Education, brings together the leadership of key education and data institutions across Nigeria.