The directive, effective October 6, mandates the
verification of academic credentials for all staff and recruits across all
government and higher education institutions.

The directive was issued in a service-wide circular dated
August 8, 2025, from George Akume, the secretary to the government of the
federation.

A copy of this circular was seen on
Wednesday.

The circular requires all ministries, departments, and
agencies (MDAs), as well as all higher institutions, both public and private,
to use the NERD programme’s National Credential Verification Service (NCVS).

This service will ensure that every certificate, diploma,
and award is verifiable and traceable.

An NCVS clearance, which includes a National Credential
Number (NCN), will become a required part of employee documentation.

This new initiative, which was proposed by the National
Universities Commission (NUC) in May 2023, departs from past verification
methods by establishing a quality assurance system that operates outside the
control of a single institution.

According to the directive, it invokes Section 10(1) of the
Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions Act
(1985)) to safeguard academic integrity.

Tunji Alausa, minister of education, introduced the NCVS in
March 2025, following its approval by the Federal Executive Council.

He described the service as a “systemic quality assurance check
nationwide to curtail academic fraud.”

Haula Galadima, the executive director of communication and
cybersecurity for the NERD programme, confirmed in an email that the program’s
services are ready.

She urged all post-secondary and tertiary institutions,
MDAs, and private sector organisations to register their NERD focal persons and
records & digitisation officers on the NERD website.

Galadima explained that NERD is a federation-wide quality
assurance tool designed to enhance the value of Nigerian education globally.

Its mandate includes administering the National Student
Number (NSN), the NCN, and the National Document Number (NDN) to create a
national database of resource persons, where academic honours can be instantly
verified.

The NERD programme is owned by all Nigerian post-secondary
schools and tertiary institutions, with a governing council that includes
leaders from various regulatory and educational bodies, chaired by the minister
of education.

The council includes chief executives from the NUC, NBTE,
and NCCE, and representatives from committees of vice-chancellors and rectors,
among others.