The House of Representatives has confirmed that universities in Togo are not involved in the alleged fake certificate scandal, but investigations into similar claims against universities in the Benin Republic are still ongoing.
This update was made during a session of the House Committee on Public Petitions in Abuja, where the lawmakers reviewed a petition filed by Sovereign Legal Practitioners on behalf of concerned education stakeholders.
The petition challenged the federal education ministry’s stance on certificates obtained from institutions in both Togo and Benin Republic.
According to the committee, findings from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs show that there is no issue with Togo-based universities. As a result, the probe has now been narrowed to institutions operating in the Benin Republic.
The House has set July 10, 2025, as the next hearing date to continue the investigation, and the Federal Ministry of Education is expected to appear for clarification.
The committee noted that the petition relates to a directive issued in 2024 concerning qualifying exams for foreign graduates.
Lawmakers want the ministry to explain how this policy is being implemented, especially for students from the Benin Republic whose academic documents are now under question.
This renewed focus comes months after the federal government dismissed some civil servants for holding degrees from private universities in Togo and Benin Republic.
The move followed an undercover report that exposed a certificate racketeering ring in Cotonou, where fake degrees were allegedly sold to Nigerians.
One undercover journalist was even able to obtain a four-year degree within six weeks and used it to complete the NYSC without being caught.
Investigations revealed that some agents in Nigeria were working with top staff of a university in Cotonou to carry out the scheme.
The situation has raised fresh concerns about how foreign institutions receive approval and recognition in Nigeria.
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