The National Universities Commission (NUC) Thursday warned
Nigerians against patronising online universities and other degree
awarding institutions operating online saying that any certificate
obtained from such institutions is not recognised.
Speaking at a press conference at the Headquarters of the
Commission, Director, Information and Public Relations, Ibrahim
Yakasai stressed that degrees obtained online are not accepted in
the country.
He said, “Nigeria will not recognize online degrees. Online degrees
are not accepted in Nigeria at the moment.”
This was as he also warned Nigerian students and parents against
patronising Maryam Abacha American University, Niger Republic
noting that the Commission has been inundated with enquiries from
some Nigerian students who had been offered admission in the
university.
He disclosed that the concerned students were offered admissions
on part-time with a graduation time of four semesters for
programmes like Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science, Public Health
among others.
“In Nigeria the duration for a full time degree programme is not less
than three years for direct entry and at least six years for part-time,
while professional programmes in Science, Engineering and Health
Sciences including Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science and Public
Health are not offered on part-time basis in Nigeria. Also, all part-
time cross boarder education in Nigeria is not allowed,” he explained
Yakasai further lamented that the university admits Nigerian
students who do not have the basic requirements to gain admission
into the nation’s tertiary institutions in addition to running courses
such as Nursing, Medical Laboratory Science on part-time basis
which according to him is not acceptable.
While disclosing that Ghana National Accreditation Board (NAB) has
banned 53 tertiary institutions in Ghana some of which Nigerian
students run to from advertising and admitting students due to lack
of qualification, Yakasai noted that all countries are at liberty to
accept or reject certificates from any foreign university they felt is
operating below their acceptable standards.
“We wish to restate that as the only quality assurance agency for
universities in Nigeria, the NUC is maintaining its stand that degrees
from Maryam Abacha University will not be accepted in Nigeria,” he
said.

lol