The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has endorsed the Federal Government’s plan to begin mandatory verification of academic credentials across the country.
The institute described the move as a crucial measure to curb certificate forgery and restore trust in Nigeria’s education system.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the President and Chairman of Council of NIM, Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (retd.), said the initiative would be implemented through the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) under the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank.
Ayuba explained that both existing and prospective employees in public and private institutions would now be required to obtain verification before their appointments could be confirmed. Verified documents will be assigned a National Credential Number with security codes to guarantee authenticity.
He noted that certificate fraud had persisted for years due to weak processes, stressing that the new policy would address the loopholes by linking institutional databases into a unified but autonomous federated system.
“This move mandates that every credential must pass through a single verification process to ensure traceability and authenticity,” Ayuba said.
The institute called on stakeholders, including tertiary institutions and regulators, to support the system, which it described as a collaborative platform for digital authentication of qualifications.
The NCVS, launched in March 2025 by Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa following Federal Executive Council approval, is scheduled to take effect on October 6.
According to the Federal Government, the system will end the circulation of fake degrees, forged diplomas, and unaccredited certificates that undermine academic credibility.
