In a striking move, the Federal Government of Nigeria has imposed a ban on 18 international universities operating within its borders, raising an alarm for Nigerian students and parents to steer clear of these institutions. The Federal Ministry of Education has identified these universities, which include five from the United States, six from the United Kingdom, and three from Ghana, as fraudulent "degree mills."
This action follows the Ministry's decision to temporarily halt the assessment and recognition of academic qualifications from the Republics of Benin and Togo, a development that has generated considerable buzz.
A formal declaration on the National Universities Commission's website detailed the ban, underscoring that these universities were operating without proper licensing from the Federal Government and thus were shut down. This decision aligns with the Education (National Minimum Standards, etc.) Act of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
Prominent among the barred institutions are the University of Applied Sciences & Management in Port Novo, Republic of Benin, and its Nigerian campuses; Volta University College in Ghana, along with its Nigerian branches; the International University, Missouri, USA, with its Kano and Lagos Study Centres; and the Columbus University, United Kingdom, operating in Nigeria.
Also on this list are Tiu International University and Pebbles University, UK, both operating in Nigeria; London External Studies, UK; Pilgrims University; West African Christian University; EC-Council University, USA, Lagos Study Centre; and Concept College/Universities (London) in Ilorin, among other campuses in Nigeria.
Additional universities implicated include Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria; Irish University Business School London; University of Education, Winneba, and Cape Coast University, both in Ghana; African University Cooperative Development in Cotonou, Benin Republic; and Pacific Western University, Denver, Colorado, with its Owerri Study Centre, along with Evangel University of America & Chudick Management Academic, Lagos.
This sweeping measure coincides with the Ministry of Education's temporary suspension of certificate validation from Benin and Togo, a decision sparked by a revelatory report from the Daily Nigerian newspaper. The report titled 'How Daily Nigerian reporter bagged Cotonou varsity degree in 6 weeks’ unveiled the unscrupulous practice of some Beninese University officials fabricating university degrees for monetary gain.
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