ABUJA: The Federal Government has intensified efforts to safeguard the integrity of academic records in Nigeria through the implementation of the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Park (NERD).
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, said on Thursday in Abuja during a National Capacity Building Programme for school representatives that the initiative was aimed at strengthening institutional compliance and curbing academic fraud.
Alausa explained that the NERD platform is a strategic national digital infrastructure designed to secure, standardise, digitise and authenticate academic records across post-secondary and tertiary institutions nationwide.
He said the initiative underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to data ownership, zero tolerance for academic fraud and the preservation of Nigeria’s academic history.
“The Nigeria Education Repository and Databank is not merely a technology platform but a strategic national infrastructure for securing and verifying academic records,” he said.
The minister cited key components of the system, including the National Credential Number and the Federated Repository of Academic Test and Assurance.
Alausa disclosed that within four months of enforcement, the platform had curated nearly 100,000 digital student submissions and onboarded more than 350 universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education for real-time credential verification.
According to him, more than 133,000 students and 6,800 lecturers are currently enrolled on the platform, supported by more than 655 focal persons nationwide.
He added that more than 1,000 digital service centres had been established in collaboration with Nigerian technology entrepreneurs.
Alausa emphasised that protecting the integrity of academic certificates was vital for maintaining trust in Nigeria’s education system, noting that certificates represent national guarantees that due process and academic standards were followed.
He also revealed that the government had investigated cases of fraudulent certificates from unaccredited institutions, leading to the removal of individuals with illegal qualifications from the public service to uphold accountability.
To further promote academic excellence, the minister announced the establishment of the NERD Annual National Knowledge Prize and Award Programme, which will reward outstanding undergraduate, master’s and doctoral theses with prizes ranging from ₦5 million to ₦20 million.
Alausa urged tertiary institutions to establish robust internal verification systems, designate competent personnel and prioritise digital capacity development to strengthen compliance and accountability.
The Chief Executive Officer of NERD, Tunji Ariyomo, said preserving the nation’s knowledge and historical records was critical, warning that poor documentation had created gaps that hinder knowledge growth.
He explained that the platform documents academic projects, theses and dissertations along with supervisors, co-supervisors and departmental heads, thereby strengthening accountability and improving the quality of academic supervision.
Ariyomo added that the system also addresses copyright and intellectual property concerns for students, lecturers and institutions, ensuring proper recognition and protection of academic work.
