For more than two decades of democracy, Nigeria has struggled with a growing menace that quietly eats away at the foundation of its education system—certificate forgery. What began as isolated scandals among a few politicians has now become a widespread culture of deceit, eroding the nation’s academic integrity and weakening the credibility of its workforce.
Educationists and policy experts say this persistent fraud has crippled the country’s education sector, discouraging genuine learning and promoting a mindset of shortcuts. In many institutions, forged certificates are no longer rare; they are part of a thriving underground trade often aided by corrupt staff who collude with desperate individuals seeking qualifications they never earned.
The consequence is an alarming rise in unqualified graduates flooding Nigeria’s labour market. Many of these fake degree holders have found their way into the public and private sectors, climbing to the pinnacle of their respective profession, undermining productivity, governance, and professionalism. The political class, in particular, has not been spared.
From former presidents to current ministers, allegations of certificate forgery have dogged some of Nigeria’s most powerful figures. In 2015, then–presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari faced accusations over his missing secondary school certificate, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) questioning his eligibility to contest. The controversy resurfaced during his 2019 re-election campaign when he failed to attach his academic records to his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) submission. Though the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) later confirmed that Buhari obtained his certificate in 1961, the damage to public trust lingered.
Similarly, former President Goodluck Jonathan’s academic record once came under scrutiny after ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo claimed Jonathan had not completed his PhD. The University of Port Harcourt, however, dismissed the claim, insisting that Jonathan duly earned his BSc, MSc, and PhD between 1977 and 1995.
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More recently, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been entangled in controversy following the release of his Chicago State University academic records, which opposition leader Atiku Abubakar claimed were forged. The revelation ignited a fresh wave of criticism over what many describe as the normalization of certificate forgery among Nigeria’s political elite.
The pattern extends beyond presidents. In July 2023, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, was accused of presenting a fake certificate allegedly from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), a claim the university has publicly denied. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and other opposition figures have accused Tinubu’s administration of protecting officials with questionable academic backgrounds, warning that such tolerance damages Nigeria’s global reputation and the rule of law.
Nigeria’s history is dotted with similar scandals. Former Senator Stella Oduah once claimed to hold a degree from St. Paul’s College in Virginia, USA, though that claim has long been disputed. Former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun was forced to resign in 2018 after it was discovered she had submitted a forged NYSC exemption certificate. Although a Federal High Court later ruled that she was not constitutionally required to have one, the controversy further highlighted the growing decay in ethical standards.
Former Senator Dino Melaye’s name also appears in the long list of public figures accused of falsifying credentials, a pattern that has persisted without meaningful deterrence.
Analysts warn that unless Nigeria confronts this culture of forgery with strong reforms and accountability, its education system will continue to lose credibility at home and abroad. Beyond the politics and scandals lies a deeper crisis: a generation of professionals and leaders shaped not by knowledge or merit, but by fraud.
If left unchecked, certificate forgery could permanently destroy the trust that sustains education, employment, and governance in Nigeria, making the nation’s progress little more than a forgery of its own ideals.
