The Nigerian government has publicized a roster containing no less than 37 unauthorized universities currently in operation within the country. Chris Maiyaki, the Acting Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), made this revelation in an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday. He noted that arrests had been carried out in collaboration with security forces.
Maiyaki emphasized the involvement of the Department of State Services in cracking down on these illicit institutions. Urging parents to consult the commission’s website for a list of legitimate and illegitimate universities in Nigeria, he cautioned against the potential victimization of students by fraudulent schemes.
This disclosure from the NUC follows the suspension of degree certificates from two francophone West African nations. An investigative journalist exposed how he obtained a degree from a university in Benin Republic within two months and subsequently participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). As a response, the federal government blacklisted 18 universities from Benin Republic and Togo. Furthermore, there are indications that the government plans to expand sanctions to universities in Uganda, Kenya, Niger Republic, and other African countries. The complete list of illegal universities is provided below:
