The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has uncovered and closed 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across Nigeria, in a sweeping crackdown on unlicensed institutions.
The development was disclosed in the commission’s latest performance report, which highlighted ongoing efforts to rid the sector of “certificate millers” undermining the integrity of Nigeria’s education system.
According to the report, the NCCE not only shut down the illegal institutions but also carried out a comprehensive personnel audit and financial monitoring exercise across all 21 federal colleges of education.
President Bola Tinubu had, in recent weeks, directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE to intensify their efforts to eliminate illegal tertiary institutions. Speaking at the 14th convocation of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, Tinubu described such schools as dangerous to the country’s future, warning that their unchecked spread was eroding the credibility of Nigerian certificates both at home and abroad.
“These illegal colleges are not just defrauding unsuspecting students and parents but also undermining our national development,” the President said, stressing the need for decisive action.
Education analysts have long raised concerns that unaccredited institutions exploit the desperation of young Nigerians seeking affordable higher education. The result, experts argue, is a proliferation of low-quality graduates who are ill-prepared for the workforce.
