ABUJA, Nigeria – The Federal Government has dismissed viral claims that the National Universities Commission (NUC) identified 2,000 universities and uncovered about 100 fake professors in Nigeria, describing the reports as false and misleading.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, issued the clarification in a statement on Saturday, saying the commission neither reported the existence of 2,000 universities in the country nor published or endorsed the list of individuals being circulated online as fake professors. “The NUC has neither declared the existence of 2,000 universities in Nigeria nor published or endorsed the purported list of individuals being described as fake professors,” Alausa said.
The Ministry of Education explained that the claim about fake professors stemmed from a misrepresentation of a media report published on December 3, 2019, concerning an NUC exercise to verify the directory of full professors in Nigerian universities. According to the ministry, the original report did not contain the names currently circulating on social media. It added that the commission had disowned the purported list, warning against presenting unverified information as an official NUC finding.
The ministry expressed concern that the circulation of such claims could damage public confidence in Nigerian universities and undermine ongoing efforts to improve the education sector. It urged media organisations, social media users and members of the public to disregard the claims and verify information through the commission’s official communication channels.
The statement was signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo. The clarification highlights the risks of recycled reports and misleading social media content being presented as new official findings, particularly on issues involving academic integrity and the credibility of higher education institutions.
Join the conversation