Education Ministry Speaks On 2,000 Universities, 100 Fake Professors
The Federal Ministry of Education has refuted reports circulating on social media claiming that the National Universities Commission (NUC) identified 2,000 universities and discovered approximately 100 fake professors in Nigeria.
The Ministry described the reports as recycled misinformation, insisting that the NUC never made such declarations or authenticated the list of individuals being circulated online.
In a press release dated November 14, 2026, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, clarified that the Commission had neither announced the existence of 2,000 universities in Nigeria nor released any list identifying individuals as fake professors.
The Ministry further explained that the claims about fake professors were derived from a misrepresentation of a December 3, 2019 media report on an NUC exercise to verify the directory of full professors in Nigerian universities.
It stressed that the original publication did not include the names currently circulating online, noting that the NUC had already distanced itself from the purported list.
According to the Ministry, the persistent recycling of the allegations could damage the reputation of Nigerian universities, weaken public confidence in the nation’s higher education system and undermine ongoing reforms in the education sector.
It therefore called on Nigerians, media organisations and social media users to exercise caution and avoid sharing unverified information capable of misleading the public.
The Ministry advised the public to rely on the NUC’s official channels for accurate information regarding recognised universities and academic standards.
It reiterated its commitment to supporting the Commission in protecting academic standards, promoting quality assurance and preserving the integrity and international reputation of university education in Nigeria.
