The federal government has directed all government agencies and higher education institutions to begin mandatory verification of academic credentials through the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD), starting October 6, 2025.
Gatekeepers News reports that the directive was issued in a service-wide circular dated August 8 by George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation, a copy of which was obtained by TheCable on Wednesday.
The policy mandates that ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), as well as public and private tertiary institutions, use NERD’s National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) to confirm that every certificate, diploma, or award is authentic and traceable.
An NCVS clearance—featuring a National Credential Number (NCN)—will now be required as part of employee documentation for both existing staff and new recruits.
This initiative, first proposed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in May 2023, introduces a quality assurance system outside the control of any single institution. It invokes Section 10(1) of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act of 1985 to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s academic system.
Unveiling the NCVS in March 2025, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa described it as a “systemic quality assurance check nationwide to curtail academic fraud.”
Haula Galadima, executive director of communication and cybersecurity for the NERD programme, confirmed in an email that the service is fully operational. She urged MDAs, higher institutions, and private organisations to register their NERD focal persons and digitisation officers via the programme’s website.
According to Galadima, the initiative will strengthen Nigeria’s global educational reputation:
“NERD is a federation-wide quality assurance tool designed to enhance the value of Nigerian education globally.”
The databank will manage three key identifiers: the National Student Number (NSN), the National Credential Number (NCN), and the National Document Number (NDN), creating a national database where academic achievements can be instantly verified.
The NERD programme is jointly owned by Nigeria’s post-secondary and tertiary institutions, with oversight provided by a governing council chaired by the minister of education. The council includes the heads of the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE, alongside representatives from committees of vice-chancellors, rectors, and other educational regulators.
