By Gloria Mlanga, Abuja
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the integrity of academic records in Nigeria with the implementation and enforcement of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) Policy.
Speaking at the 2026 National Capacity Building Programme on the Implementation and Enforcement of the NERD Policy in Abuja yesterday, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the initiative as a strategic national infrastructure designed to digitise, standardise and authenticate academic records across Nigeria’s post-secondary and tertiary institutions.
The programme, themed “Strengthening Institutional Compliance and Academic Records Integrity,” brought together education administrators, regulators and institutional representatives to deepen compliance with the policy.
Alausa said NERD goes beyond being a technological platform, noting that it represents the Federal Government’s firm commitment to education data ownership, the elimination of academic fraud and the preservation of Nigeria’s academic history.
According to him, the policy was approved by the Federal Executive Council as the digitisation vehicle for the country’s education sector.
It is mandated to administer the National Credential Numbers, the National Credential Verification Service, the National Students Clearing House, a federated repository of academic texts and abstracts, and a National Academic Publication and Indexing Database.
He revealed that within four months of enforcement, the platform had already curated and preserved nearly 100,000 digital student submissions that might otherwise have been lost.
The minister added that more than 350 universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education have been onboarded for real-time credential verification, while over 133,000 students and 6,800 lecturers are now enrolled on the platform.
To support the initiative, over 665 focal persons have been deployed nationwide, while 1,060 Digital Service Centres have been established in collaboration with Nigerian digital entrepreneurs, creating more than 3,000 direct jobs within the same period.
Alausa emphasised that education is a covenant between the state and its citizens, noting that every certificate issued by an institution is a national guarantee that due process has been followed.
He also announced the establishment of the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize and Awards Programme aimed at promoting academic excellence.
Under the scheme, outstanding undergraduate, master’s and doctoral theses will be rewarded with prizes ranging from N5 million to N20 million, with the maiden edition scheduled to hold in November 2026.
“Let me emphasise that education is a covenant between the State and its citizens. When a certificate is issued, it is not merely paper, it is a national guarantee that due process was followed and standards were upheld.
“That guarantee is only as strong as the integrity of our record-keeping systems. 8. To further promote academic excellence, I have approved the establishment of the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize and Awards Programme, which will reward outstanding Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral theses with prizes ranging from N5 million to 20 million. The maiden edition will hold in November 2026.”
He also reiterated the Federal Government’s directive that regulatory bodies align with and enforce the NERD policy while urging institutions to establish robust verification systems, designate competent personnel and prioritise continuous digital capacity development.
The minister further noted that NERD has developed indigenous repository software and an anti-plagiarism system, stressing that it would contradict national interest to ignore locally developed solutions in favour of foreign alternatives.
