The Federal Government has said it is considering a plan to overhaul the accreditation process for tertiary institutions across the country.
The government described the current process as “fragmented, costly, and counterproductive”.
The government said over 25 professional bodies currently conduct separate accreditation visits to universities, often charging institutions for logistics and stipends, thereby overburdening already stretched educational budgets.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the government’s plan at a stakeholders’ meeting with professional regulatory bodies yesterday in Abuja.
The minister emphasised the need to streamline accreditation under the statutory leadership of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and end what he called a “chaotic and exploitative system”.
“Accreditation should not be turned into a business.
Universities should not bear the financial weight of a service that’s supposed to ensure quality,” he added.
In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the minister stressed that Nigeria must adopt a unified and efficient system that maintains academic and professional standards while expanding access and reducing bureaucracy.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, shared her experience when she was coordinating multiple accreditation exercises. She described it as overwhelming and disruptive.
“Institutions are under immense pressure, often resulting in artificial compliance to meet impossible expectations,” Prof. Ahmad said.
