The Federal Government has ordered a mandatory verification of all staff credentials across Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), and military and paramilitary organizations, effective October 6, 2025.
The directive, aimed at restoring integrity to the nation’s workforce, coincides with the rollout of the National Policy for the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a centralized system to authenticate qualifications and combat academic fraud.
The mandate, outlined in a circular dated August 8, 2025 (Reference: 58524/111C/579) and signed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume (CON), requires all MDAs, higher education institutions, and public and private sector entities—including military and paramilitary bodies—to adopt the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS).
This digital platform, a cornerstone of the NERD initiative, will instantly verify the authenticity of academic documents, issuing a unique National Credential Number (NCN) and security codes for verified records.
This marks a significant departure from the traditional reliance on issuing institutions, which have often been plagued by inefficiencies and potential bias.
The NERD policy, first proposed by the National Universities Commission (NUC) in May 2023, responds to growing concerns from academics about declining educational standards and the proliferation of fake certificates.
A 2022 Bureau of Public Service Reforms report estimates Nigeria’s federal civil service employs 720,000 workers, all of whom will now undergo this rigorous vetting process.
The NCVS, launched in March 2025 by Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa following Federal Executive Council approval, is designed to tackle counterfeit degrees, fraudulent qualifications, and credentials from unaccredited institutions and diploma mills.
Speaking at the NCVS launch, Dr. Alausa described it as a “nationwide quality assurance initiative” to safeguard the education sector from fraud that threatens its credibility.
“This is about restoring trust in our institutions and ensuring that only qualified individuals serve in our workforce,” he said.
Under the new system, appointments across all sectors will only be confirmed after NCVS clearance, with annual compliance reports due by March 30 each year to ensure ongoing adherence.
The centralized NERD framework, managed by the NUC, aims to create a robust database for tracking verified credentials, reducing the risk of manipulation by institutions or individuals.
This shift is expected to enhance transparency and accountability, particularly in a country where academic fraud has long eroded public trust and hindered professional standards.
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