The Federal Government has moved to lift the blanket ban on degree certificates obtained from the Republics of Benin and Togo after the House of Representatives adopted recommendations urging a review of the policy.
The decision followed the consideration of a report by the House Committee on Public Petitions during Wednesday’s plenary.
Presenting the report, the committee chairman, Hon. Laori Kwamoti, asked the House to consider a petition submitted by Sovereignty Legal Practitioners on behalf of stakeholders in the education sector challenging the Federal Government’s earlier invalidation of certificates from the two neighbouring countries.
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In its recommendations, the committee advised the government to reverse the sweeping restriction and instead adopt a more targeted approach.
The report stated, “that the Federal Government of Nigeria should rescind the blanket invalidation of degree certificates obtained from the Republics of Benin and Togo.”
Lawmakers endorsed the recommendation during plenary, effectively paving the way for the restoration of recognition for the certificates.
The House also urged the Federal Government to replace the broad sanction with a verification system that would address only confirmed cases of academic fraud.
According to the report, authorities should “adopt a case-by-case verification mechanism to address confirmed instances of fraud, rather than impose a blanket sanction.”
The committee further recommended closer collaboration between Nigeria’s education authorities and their counterparts in Benin Republic and Togo to strengthen verification processes and prevent academic malpractice.
It also called for increased public awareness to help Nigerians verify the accreditation status of foreign institutions and understand the process for obtaining certificate equivalence where necessary.
In addition, the House advised that future policies on foreign academic qualifications should align with Nigeria’s bilateral, regional, and international treaty obligations.
