FG Stops NTI From Awarding Degrees, Cancels 2026 Admissions
The Federal Government has stopped the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), Kaduna, from conducting admissions into its NCE and degree programmes for the 2026 academic session, citing breaches of regulatory requirements.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the cancellation of all admissions into the affected programmes and ordered NTI to terminate its university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements.
The Ministry, in a statement issued on November 7, 2026, maintained that the Institute lacks the authorisation to award National Certificate in Education (NCE) and university degrees.
It warned parents, prospective students and other members of the public against applying for the programmes, accepting admission offers or making payments, regardless of whether the courses are offered through full-time, part-time or Distance Learning Studies (DLS).
The decision, according to the Ministry, followed the Institute’s failure to comply with the Ministerial Operational Guidelines released on September 12, 2025.
It further stressed that NCE admissions must adhere to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) requirements and accreditation standards prescribed by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The Ministry also disclosed that the National Universities Commission (NUC) would notify the universities involved and ensure that the directive discontinuing NTI’s degree-awarding arrangements was fully implemented.
Despite the cancellation, the Federal Government said it would protect students already enrolled in the Institute’s existing NCE Distance Learning programmes.
To this end, the NCCE will undertake a comprehensive accreditation exercise covering NCE II–IV programmes and study centres across the country’s six geopolitical zones.
The Ministry explained that students found eligible would be permitted to complete their studies, subject to the outcome of the accreditation exercise and compliance with relevant regulatory requirements.
It clarified that NTI’s statutory mandate remains the training and retraining of teachers, in-service development and continuous professional development.
The mandate also covers pedagogical capacity-building and the Special Abridged Programme, which runs for three to six months and is designed for serving teachers who hold non-Education degrees.
The programme enables such teachers to acquire the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), in line with applicable regulations.
The Ministry said the action was necessary to safeguard students, preserve academic standards and prevent members of the public from falling victim to unapproved academic programmes.
It urged prospective applicants and parents to confirm the accreditation and admission status of educational programmes with the appropriate regulatory agencies before making payments or enrolment commitments.
