NUC Sets Tough 70% Benchmark to Curb Fake University Accreditations

NUC Sets Tough 70% Benchmark to Curb Fake University Accreditations

NUC, National Universities Commission, has drawn a bold line in the sand. In a move aimed at cleaning up Nigeria’s higher education system and improving public trust, the commission now demands that universities score at least 70% in four critical areas before they can earn full programme accreditation.

This strong stand wasn’t made casually. According to NUC’s Executive Secretary, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, the commission has designed a tough but fair system to make sure universities offer real value—not just degrees printed on paper.

Speaking in a detailed statement released in Abuja, Ribadu explained what universities must do to qualify. He said four core areas are used to determine if a programme is worthy of full accreditation: Academic Matters, Staffing, Physical Facilities, and the Library.

Any programme that scores below 70% in any of those four will not be considered for full accreditation—no shortcuts, no exceptions. In Ribadu’s words, “To attain Full Accreditation Status, a programme must score a minimum of 70% in each of the four core areas and an overall score of 70% or above in its entirety.”

He made it clear that meeting this 70% score doesn’t mean a university is flawless. Rather, it means it has met a level that’s acceptable for delivering quality education, while still leaving room for growth. This, he explained, is how the NUC promotes improvement without being unrealistic.

But why does this matter?

For many Nigerian students and parents, accreditation is more than just a technical term—it’s a lifeline. It guarantees that a graduate’s degree will be respected by employers and by international universities when applying for further studies.

In recent years, however, the NUC has battled growing misinformation about what accreditation truly involves. One major incident pushed Ribadu to speak out publicly.

A social media post by one Taofik Olatubonsun went viral, accusing the NUC of running a fake and meaningless accreditation system. It claimed the exercise was a mere formality, allowing schools to pass with poor standards. Ribadu didn’t take it lightly.

He slammed the claim as “false, baseless, and disseminated from an uninformed position.” According to him, the NUC’s process is anything but casual.

He explained that the NUC follows a peer-review method that calls in independent panels of experienced professors. These experts, who are subject-matter specialists, examine each programme closely. They check everything—from quality of teaching and infrastructure to how well-equipped the university libraries are.

After the panel completes its review, the NUC does not simply accept it at face value. The commission conducts a strict internal review of the submitted reports to ensure that everything aligns with its high standards. The process doesn’t end there.

A ratification session follows, where NUC officials must defend the findings before the NUC Management Commission. This ensures transparency and credibility, and it adds another layer of quality control that many don’t see behind the scenes.

The commission’s commitment to quality has not gone unnoticed across Africa. Ribadu proudly noted that countries such as Namibia, Gambia, and Niger Republic have visited Nigeria to learn from the NUC’s system.

Even top foreign universities rely on NUC’s accreditation results when screening Nigerian applicants. This proves just how far the commission’s reputation stretches beyond local borders.

“We reckon that there is no such perfect Accreditation system anywhere in the world,” Ribadu said. “But we are poised as a University System to continually work on deepening our culture of quality assurance.”

The stakes are high, and Ribadu knows it. He stressed that the NUC’s role goes beyond ticking boxes. It’s about shaping the future of Nigerian graduates and helping them stand tall among their peers globally.

This means universities must step up.

It means they must hire enough qualified staff, invest in infrastructure, and equip their libraries to support student learning. Accreditation will no longer be something that institutions treat lightly. They either meet the standards or they don’t get the stamp.

In a time when many students are lured by universities with flashy websites but little academic depth, this move by the NUC comes as a welcome development. It protects families from investing in schools that won’t deliver. It also pressures universities to earn respect through hard work, not empty promises.

Ribadu ended his statement by urging the public to verify information before spreading falsehoods, especially when it comes to education. “Baseless accusations that undermine the credibility of the higher education system must be discouraged,” he warned.

The message is clear: NUC won’t back down. The commission has thrown the challenge to every university in Nigeria—raise your standards or stay behind. The bar is now set at 70%, and it’s not coming down.

In the long run, this push could mean brighter futures for millions of Nigerian students, who will graduate with degrees that matter and skills that count. It also reinforces the role of government institutions in building a truly world-class education system, one standard at a time.