Nigeria’s NERD Platform Records 11,000 Submissions as FG Intensifies Crackdown on Certificate Forgery
Barely a month after the launch of the National Education Repository and Databank (NERD), Nigeria’s education digitisation initiative is gaining remarkable traction, as the Federal Government deepens its efforts to eliminate certificate forgery and academic fraud.
Reports from the NERD portal indicate that over 11,000 academic project submissions have been successfully uploaded by Nigerian students within the first three weeks of the platform’s operation.
Centralised Database for Education Records
The NERD platform is a centralised digital repository designed to store, manage and verify educational records, publications and credentials across all tiers of Nigeria’s education system.
It serves as a one-stop hub for academic data, enabling instant certificate authentication and functioning as a permanent archive for research outputs and scholarly projects.
Launched by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the NERD programme forms a key part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to curb credential fraud and improve transparency in the education sector.
As of this week, over 40,000 students have been enrolled on the platform, while 135 tertiary institutions have been onboarded for credential verification.
A Step Toward Eradicating Certificate Forgery
The initiative aligns with the October 6, 2025 government directive mandating all ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and security formations to verify the academic certificates of their staff, a decisive move in the fight against fake qualifications.
Analytics from the NERD portal show Ekiti State University leading in institutional participation with 990 uploads, followed by Bayero University, Kano (611) and Auchi Polytechnic, Edo State (532).
Other top contributors include Ambrose Alli University, Osun State Polytechnic, University of Ilorin and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Science Leads Submissions; Female Students Dominate Participation
Data from the platform indicates that Science and Innovation lead submission categories with 5,952 entries, followed by Multidisciplinary Studies (2,091) and Engineering and Technology (1,958).
Interestingly, the report shows a slight female lead, with 6,142 submissions from female students compared to 4,995 from their male counterparts.
NERD’s Broader Impact on Academic Supervision
NERD spokesperson Haula Galadima explained that the repository offers benefits beyond certificate verification, promoting accountability and transparency in academic supervision.
“Supervisors now know their names accompany each project, visible globally to researchers and industry leaders,” she said.
“The system also helps track lecturers’ earned allowances through measurable supervision data.”
The Federal Government has described the NERD initiative as a transformative milestone in safeguarding academic integrity, promoting innovation and modernising Nigeria’s education infrastructure.
By Hamzat Omolade
