The National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) has shut down 22 unaccredited Colleges of Education across the country, following a major crackdown on illegal tertiary institutions operating without proper approvals.
While the names of the affected colleges have not yet been disclosed, the commission revealed that the closures were the result of a thorough personnel audit and financial monitoring exercise conducted in all 21 federal Colleges of Education.
In a statement published on its official website, the NCCE said:
“The NCCE identified and shut down 22 illegal Colleges of Education operating across the country. The NCCE conducted personnel audit and financial monitoring in all the 21 federal colleges of education.”
The move aligns with the federal government’s renewed commitment to restoring credibility to the nation’s education system by eliminating “certificate mills” and unregulated institutions.
President Bola Tinubu had recently directed the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the NCCE to intensify efforts against illegal higher education institutions in Nigeria.
Speaking at the 14th convocation ceremony of the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) in Abuja, President Tinubu—represented by Rakiya Ilyasu, Director of University Education at the Federal Ministry of Education—emphasized the need to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s academic system.
“At this juncture, it has become imperative to reiterate that this administration remains committed to strengthening the integration of all agencies involved in the administration of education to enhance efficiency and quality,” he stated.
The President further reaffirmed that agencies such as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), NUC, NBTE, and NCCE are working in synergy to improve the quality of education and to ensure that forgery and unaccredited institutions, both locally and abroad, are eliminated from Nigeria’s academic landscape.
