The Federal Government has started terminating public and civil service appointments secured with degrees from private universities in the Republics of Benin and Togo obtained from 2017 onwards.
A letter signed by Ibrahim A.M., Director of Human Resources Management for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), directs all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to enforce the policy.
The letter cited a directive from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (Cabinet Affairs).
“Management is in receipt of a letter… directing all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to identify and terminate the appointments of individuals employed with certificates obtained from Private Universities in the Republics of Benin and Togo from 2017 to date,” the letter stated.
An NYSC staff member in Sokoto State was affected by the policy after their degree from ESAE University, Benin Republic, was deemed invalid.
The letter further noted, “Your appointment as Admin Officer II with NYSC is hereby terminated with immediate effect. You are therefore to hand over all government property in your possession to the State Coordinator before leaving.”
This decision follows a January 2024 suspension by the Nigerian government of the evaluation and accreditation of degrees from Benin and Togo.
The suspension came after an investigative report by Daily Nigerian revealed that degrees from some universities in the region could be obtained within six weeks without proper academic rigor.
Reacting to the development, a Federal Ministry of Education spokesperson, Augustina Obilor-Duru, stated, “Some Nigerians deploy nefarious means and unconscionable methods to get a degree with the end objective of securing graduate job opportunities for which they are not qualified.”
The government stated that the suspension will remain until an investigation involving Nigeria’s Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Education, the governments of Benin and Togo, and the Department of State Services (DSS) is concluded.
This decision has raised concerns among affected workers and labor groups, with some questioning the retroactive application of the directive.
“Many of these individuals might have followed due process while securing their admissions and jobs. This action needs careful review to avoid penalizing innocent workers,” said a labor advocate who requested anonymity.
