The Nigerian Federal Government has disclosed that approximately 21,600 graduates are parading fake degrees obtained from degree mills in the Benin Republic, Togo, and other countries.

This alarming statistic was shared by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during a ministerial press briefing on August 23, 2024.

Prof. Mamman highlighted the severity of the issue, noting that "1,105 students are holding fake certificates from Togo alone."

To combat this widespread fraud, the government has established an Inter-Ministerial Investigative Committee on Degree Certificate Milling.

This committee is tasked with probing the activities of certificate racketeers and ensuring that fraudulent degrees are flushed out of the system.

"The federal government has directed that the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) issue a circular to flush out anybody with fake certificates from these institutions," Mamman stated.

He further clarified that in Togo, only three universities are officially approved and licensed to offer degree courses, while in the Benin Republic, there are five such institutions.

This crackdown on fake degrees is part of a broader initiative to improve the quality of education in Nigeria.

The minister also outlined several ongoing efforts to reintegrate out-of-school children into the education system. "In the last year, the ministry had been able to return about four million out-of-school children to school," Mamman revealed.

This achievement was made possible through the concerted efforts of various agencies under the ministry.

Additionally, the government is taking steps to address other challenges facing the education sector.

For instance, President Bola Tinubu has approved a long-term solution to power tertiary institutions through Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to mitigate the impact of high electricity tariffs.

The minister also pledged to collaborate with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering (COREN) to inspect school facilities across the country, aiming to prevent incidents like the recent school collapse in Jos.

"This step will go a long way in checking sharp practices by building contractors," Mamman assured.

Efforts are also being made to meet the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) to avert planned strike actions, further demonstrating the government's commitment to enhancing educational standards in Nigeria.