FG moves to preserve Nigeria’s academic records through digital repository

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 aimed to strengthen institutional compliance and curb academic fraud.

Alausa explained that the NERD platform was 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 highlighted 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 added.

He cited components like the National Credential Number and Federated Repository of Academic Test and Assurance.

The minister 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 tech entrepreneurs.

Alausa emphasised that protecting academic certificate integrity was vital for maintaining trust in Nigeria’s education system, adding that certificates represented national guarantees that due process and standards were followed.

He said that the government had investigated cases of fraudulent certificates from unaccredited institutions, removing individuals with illegal certificates from public service to uphold accountability.

To promote academic excellence, Alausa announced the establishment of the NERD Annual National Knowledge Prize and Award Programme, which would reward outstanding undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral theses with prizes ranging from N5 million to N20 million.

The minister 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 country’s knowledge and historical records was critical, warning that poor documentation had created gaps hindering knowledge growth.

He explained that the platform documented academic projects, theses, and dissertations along with supervisors, co-supervisors, and departmental heads, strengthening accountability and improving the quality of academic supervision.

Ariyomo added that the platform also addressed copyright and intellectual property issues for students, lecturers, and institutions, ensuring proper recognition and protection of academic work.