The Federal Government has launched a national digital platform, the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD), aimed at safeguarding academic records and tackling certificate fraud across the country’s tertiary institutions.
Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed this during a National Capacity Building Programme organised for institutional representatives, describing the platform as a major milestone in strengthening the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s education system.
According to the minister, the repository will function as a secure digital archive where academic records can be preserved, authenticated and easily verified, thereby improving education data governance nationwide.
He explained that the initiative aligns with the education reform agenda of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which prioritises transparency, accountability and digital transformation in the education sector.
Alausa revealed that within four months of its rollout, the platform has already preserved nearly 100,000 digital student submissions, integrated more than 250 tertiary institutions, and registered over 133,000 students alongside about 6,800 lecturers.
He noted that the system forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to curb certificate fraud, following investigations that uncovered cases of Nigerians presenting fake foreign certificates obtained from unaccredited institutions.
The minister further stated that participation in the NERD platform would soon become a requirement for graduates seeking either participation in, or exemption from, the National Youth Service Corps programme.
He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to building a transparent and globally credible education system through digital verification and secure academic record management.
