The Federal Government has dismissed reports claiming that Nigeria has 2,000 universities and that about 100 professors were exposed as fake, describing the allegations as fabricated information intended to mislead the public and undermine confidence in the country’s university system.
The Ministry of Education said the National Universities Commission (NUC) neither made the claims nor released any list identifying individuals as fake professors.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated this in a statement issued on Saturday by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the reports are a distortion of old information that has resurfaced on social media, warning Nigerians against giving credibility to unverified claims.
Specifically, it explained that the allegation concerning 100 fake professors was a misrepresentation of a media report published on December 3, 2019, which focused on an exercise by the NUC to verify the directory of full professors in Nigerian universities.
The ministry clarified that the original exercise did not contain the names currently being circulated online, adding that the NUC had disowned the purported list.
It also dismissed the claim that Nigeria has 2,000 universities, insisting that the regulatory commission had never announced such a figure.
The government expressed concern over the circulation and repeated publication of misleading information, noting that such reports could damage the reputation of Nigerian universities and undermine efforts to improve standards in the higher education sector.
It urged media organisations, social media users and members of the public to verify information before sharing it, particularly reports concerning the recognition of universities and the credibility of academic qualifications.
The ministry advised Nigerians to consult the NUC’s official communication channels for reliable information on accredited universities, academic standards and regulatory decisions.
It reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to working with the NUC to protect academic integrity, strengthen quality assurance and safeguard the international reputation of Nigeria’s university education system.
