On Monday, August 25, 2025, the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) announced the closure of 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating without government accreditation, following a nationwide crackdown, as reported by Vanguard and Punch. The NCCE also conducted personnel audits and financial monitoring across all 21 federal colleges of education to ensure compliance, per a statement from the commission (Leadership.ng). The move aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s directive, issued in July 2025, to intensify efforts against unapproved institutions undermining Nigeria’s education system, which serves over 2.1 million tertiary students (NBS, 2024).
Speaking at the 14th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Rakiya Ilyasu, Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, warned that “certificate millers” threaten educational credibility (ThisDay). He emphasized collaboration among agencies like the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Universities Commission (NUC), and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) to eliminate forgery and unrecognized institutions (The Sun). The crackdown follows reports of 1,200 fake certificates detected in 2024 (JAMB). X posts from @EduNG (August 25, 2025) praised the NCCE’s actions, while @Naija_Activist highlighted public concerns over 43% distrust in educational oversight, urging stricter enforcement (Afrobarometer, 2024).
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