By Omotayo Edubi
The federal government has cancelled all admissions into the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI) for the 2026 academic session over alleged regulatory breaches involving admission procedures, accreditation and university affiliations.
Related: JAMB reveals how candidates can check approved UTME and O’Level subject combinations for admission
Key Highlights
- FG cancelled all 2026 admissions into the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna.
- The order covers NCE and degree programmes, including full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS).
- NTI must end all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements.
- Prospective students are warned not to apply, accept offers or pay for the affected programmes.
- NCCE will accredit existing NCE II–IV DLS programmes; eligible enrolled students may be allowed to finish.
The directive affects the institute’s National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes.
The Federal Ministry of Education also ordered the Kaduna-based institution to discontinue all its university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, citing concerns over its authority to operate the programmes.
According to the directive, the NTI is not authorised to award NCE certificates or university degrees.
The cancellation applies to full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS) programmes. The ministry warned prospective students against applying, accepting admission offers or making payments for the affected programmes.
Why the FG cancelled NTI admissions
The government attributed the decision to violations of the ministerial operational guidelines issued on September 12, 2025.
It explained that NCE admissions must comply with the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and accreditation standards set by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE). The order follows a wider policy shift this year, including JAMB’s decision to end degree admissions through affiliated colleges of education.
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has also been directed to notify the affected universities and ensure compliance with the order.
What happens to current NTI students
However, the ministry said students already enrolled in existing programmes would not automatically lose the opportunity to complete their studies.
It directed the NCCE to conduct a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering existing NCE II–IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones.
Eligible students may be allowed to complete their programmes, subject to the outcome of the accreditation exercise and other regulatory requirements.
Read also:
- JAMB Reveals How Candidates Can Check Approved UTME and O’Level Subject Combinations for Admission
- How Alausa’s Education Reforms Aim to Build Nigeria’s $1 Trillion Economy
- FG Launches Mobile Learning Programme To Boost Training For Female Teachers
The ministry further clarified that the NTI’s statutory responsibilities remain focused on teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuous professional development.
It added that the institute would continue to provide pedagogical capacity-building and a three-to-six-month special abridged programme for serving teachers with non-education degrees to acquire the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
The government said the intervention is intended to protect students, maintain academic standards and prevent prospective applicants from enrolling in unapproved programmes.
It urged Nigerians to verify the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes through relevant regulatory authorities before making enrolment or payment decisions.
For more education news, follow us on X.
