NANS Speaks On Suspension of Certificates from Benin and Togo, Urges FG to Intervene

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed its approval of the federal government’s continued suspension of certificates issued by universities in Benin Republic and the Republic of Togo.

The student body, however, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene, noting that the future of thousands of Nigerian students in those countries is uncertain.

In a statement issued on Friday by Comrade Joshua Olakunle, the Director of NANS – West Africa Affairs, the association emphasized that many prominent Nigerians have studied in these countries and have excelled among their peers.

NANS urged the government to expedite the review of the panel report set up earlier this year to investigate allegations of certificate racketeering in some foreign and domestic institutions.

“We acknowledge that some Nigerian universities have also been accused of certificate racketeering and other misconduct, yet the government has not taken similar action. Some Nigerian universities are not accredited, and this has not led to a suspension of their certificates.

We urge the government to address the issues in our own universities rather than targeting foreign institutions,” the statement read.

NANS commended the efforts of some institutions in Benin Republic and Togo to improve their facilities, citing the Benin National Government’s initiatives to harmonize and sanitize the education sector.

These efforts include shutting down non-compliant universities, enforcing compulsory French language studies, and accrediting courses.

However, NANS expressed concern that suspending certificates will not address the root causes of the problem.

“Instead, we propose a collaborative approach to regulate and upgrade university education in the sub-region.

This will strengthen regional cooperation and improve education standards,” NANS concluded.