The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has endorsed the Federal Government’s plan to implement mandatory verification of academic credentials, describing it as a crucial step to curb certificate fraud and restore confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
In a statement on Thursday, the institute’s President and Chairman of Council, Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (retd.), said the policy, to be implemented through the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS), would ensure authenticity and traceability of academic qualifications.
The initiative requires both existing and prospective staff in public and private institutions to secure NCVS clearance before their appointments are confirmed. Each credential will be assigned a National Credential Number, along with security codes, to protect against forgery.
Ayuba noted that fake certificates had flourished for years due to weak processes and praised the system’s capacity to link decentralised institutional databases into a federated platform while maintaining institutional autonomy.
The institute urged universities, regulators and other stakeholders to support the exercise, which it described as a collaborative effort to create a one-stop digital system for verifying academic records.
The NCVS, launched in March 2025 by Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa following approval by the Federal Executive Council, is scheduled to take effect on October 6.
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