FG Fires Civil Servants with Degrees from Benin Republic and Togo Private Universities

The Federal Government of Nigeria has dismissed several civil servants who obtained their degrees from private tertiary institutions in the Republics of Benin and Togo between 2017 and 2023.

The directive, confirmed by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, was made public on Wednesday, December 4, 2024. This development follows investigations into the legitimacy of degrees awarded by some private universities in these neighboring countries.

Earlier this year, a Nigerian journalist exposed the dubious practices of some universities in Benin Republic by obtaining a degree in just two months and subsequently using it to enroll in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC). The investigative report prompted the government to suspend the accreditation and evaluation of degrees from private tertiary institutions in Benin Republic and Togo.

In a statement, the government expressed concern over the growing trend of Nigerians securing degrees through fraudulent means to gain employment in positions requiring qualifications they do not genuinely possess. It described such actions as a threat to the integrity of the country’s workforce.

The directive to dismiss affected civil servants aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to restoring credibility in the civil service. It also highlights ongoing investigations by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, the Department of State Services (DSS), and their counterparts in Benin Republic and Togo.

Until the investigations are concluded, the suspension of accreditation and evaluation of degrees from these institutions remains in force.