Fake Degrees Are Not Nigeria’s Biggest Problem; Obsession With Certificates Is -By Isaac Asabor

Nigeria’s recurring controversies over questionable academic qualifications have continued to draw public attention, with political officeholders, public officials and other prominent individuals occasionally facing scrutiny over the authenticity of their educational credentials. While the verification of academic qualifications is necessary to protect the integrity of public institutions, concentrating exclusively on fake certificates risks distracting the country from a more fundamental problem: the growing tendency to equate educational certificates with genuine knowledge, competence, character and the capacity to solve problems.

The real crisis is not merely that some individuals may obtain certificates through questionable means. It is that Nigeria has increasingly become a society where possessing academic qualifications is often considered more important than demonstrating the knowledge, practical skills, critical thinking and integrity that education is supposed to develop.

This is a dangerous distortion of the purpose of education, particularly in a country struggling with unemployment, poor productivity, corruption, weak public institutions and a shortage of practical skills in several sectors of its economy.

A certificate should ordinarily serve as evidence that its holder has acquired a certain body of knowledge or demonstrated competence in a particular field. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, the certificate itself sometimes appears to have become the ultimate prize, regardless of whether the holder can apply the knowledge supposedly acquired.

This explains why the controversy surrounding questionable qualifications should provoke a wider national conversation about the quality, relevance and purpose of education.

It is certainly wrong for anybody to falsify academic credentials. Such conduct undermines merit, deceives employers and the public, and gives unqualified individuals access to opportunities they might not otherwise deserve. Authorities must therefore investigate credible allegations of certificate fraud and prosecute offenders in accordance with the law.

However, a society cannot solve its educational problems merely by exposing people with fake certificates while ignoring the plight of those who possess genuine qualifications but lack the competence expected of educated individuals. Nigeria must confront both problems without confusing one for the other.

The country’s education system has expanded over the years, with universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions producing graduates in different disciplines. Yet the fundamental question remains whether the expansion in access to education has consistently translated into improved learning outcomes, employability, innovation and national development.

The answer requires an honest assessment of the conditions under which many Nigerian students learn. Inadequate infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms, insufficient learning materials, industrial disputes, funding challenges and limited opportunities for practical training have continued to pose concerns across the education sector. Although conditions vary considerably from one institution to another, the country cannot afford to ignore the consequences of educational environments that fail to equip students with the skills demanded by society and the economy.

When students spend years in school without acquiring sufficient practical knowledge, communication skills, analytical abilities or professional competence, the problem extends beyond the individual graduate. It becomes a national development challenge.

The country may celebrate the number of graduates produced each year, but such celebrations become questionable when employers complain about skills gaps, businesses struggle to recruit adequately prepared workers, and young people with qualifications find it difficult to secure meaningful employment.

A university degree should not automatically be interpreted as proof of excellence. Equally, the absence of a university degree should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of ignorance or incompetence.

In fact, Nigeria’s excessive attachment to certificates has contributed to a social environment in which young people are frequently pressured to pursue university education, sometimes without sufficient consideration of their interests, abilities, employment prospects or alternative career pathways.

For many families, obtaining a university degree represents an important symbol of achievement and an opportunity for social mobility. There is nothing inherently wrong with that aspiration. Higher education can transform lives, expand intellectual horizons and prepare individuals for specialized professions.

The problem begins when society treats university education as the only respectable route to success.

A competent electrician, plumber, welder, mechanic, fashion designer, agricultural entrepreneur or information technology technician can provide valuable services, create employment and contribute to economic growth without necessarily possessing a university degree. Yet vocational and technical occupations are sometimes regarded as inferior to professions associated with university qualifications.

This attitude is counterproductive in a country where millions of young people need opportunities to acquire marketable skills, earn decent incomes and establish sustainable livelihoods.

Government, employers and educational institutions must therefore work towards making technical and vocational education more attractive, adequately funded and responsive to the needs of the economy. Technical colleges and polytechnics should be equipped with modern facilities, while their curricula should reflect developments in manufacturing, construction, agriculture, renewable energy, digital technology and other productive sectors.

Such reforms should not be interpreted as an attempt to discourage university education. Rather, they should expand the range of credible pathways through which Nigerians can acquire knowledge, develop competence and achieve economic independence.

A country needs doctors, lawyers, engineers, teachers, researchers and other university-trained professionals. It equally needs skilled technicians, artisans, entrepreneurs and other workers whose practical abilities keep businesses and industries functioning.

The objective should be to ensure that every individual receives an education suited to their abilities and aspirations, while meeting the country’s economic and social needs.

Beyond the challenge of excessive dependence on certificates lies another disturbing issue: the tendency to confuse formal education with good judgment, moral discipline and responsible citizenship.

Nigeria’s governance challenges illustrate why the distinction matters. Possessing a university degree does not automatically make an individual honest, compassionate, competent or committed to the public interest. Academic qualifications cannot, on their own, guarantee that a public officer will resist corruption, respect the law or make decisions that improve the lives of citizens.

Similarly, a person may possess impressive academic credentials without demonstrating the leadership qualities required to manage public resources responsibly. This does not mean that education is irrelevant to leadership. On the contrary, informed decision-making, critical thinking and an understanding of public policy are indispensable to effective governance.

However, genuine education must go beyond the acquisition of certificates to include the development of sound judgment, ethical responsibility and the ability to understand the consequences of one’s decisions.

The same principle applies to the private sector. An individual may accumulate professional qualifications but still lack the creativity, adaptability and problem-solving abilities required to succeed in a competitive environment. Employers should therefore place appropriate emphasis on demonstrable competence, professional conduct and continuous learning rather than relying exclusively on certificates.

At the same time, employers must not use the language of skills and competence as an excuse to discriminate against applicants or disregard legitimate professional qualifications. Certain occupations require specialized academic training and statutory certification for good reasons, particularly where public safety is involved. The objective is not to abolish qualifications but to ensure that they accurately reflect the knowledge and competence they are supposed to represent.

The government also has an important responsibility in this regard. Educational policies should prioritize learning outcomes, teacher development, research, practical instruction and institutional accountability. Universities and other tertiary institutions must be encouraged to maintain academic standards, assess students rigorously and ensure that qualifications are awarded on the basis of demonstrated achievement.

Institutions that fail to deliver quality education should not be shielded from scrutiny simply because their programmes are officially recognized. Equally, allegations of academic misconduct must be investigated fairly, with due process observed and evidence distinguished from political accusations.

Nigeria must also address the pressure that encourages some people to pursue certificates primarily for social recognition or access to employment. Where job advertisements routinely demand university degrees for positions that require relatively basic skills, employers may inadvertently reinforce the belief that every career must begin and end with a university qualification.

Recruitment practices should be guided by the actual demands of each position. Where a degree is necessary, it should remain a requirement. Where practical experience, technical competence or a recognized vocational qualification is sufficient, employers should be willing to consider candidates with those attributes.

This approach would widen employment opportunities, encourage young people to acquire relevant skills and reduce the unnecessary exclusion of capable workers.

For Nigeria, the stakes are particularly high. A large youth population can become an enormous economic advantage when supported by quality education, productive employment and opportunities for innovation. But population size alone does not guarantee prosperity. Young people must be equipped to create value, adapt to changing circumstances and participate meaningfully in national development.

An educational system that produces certificates without adequately developing competence risks turning this potential advantage into a source of frustration.

Ultimately, the country must abandon the misleading assumption that the possession of a certificate is synonymous with being educated. A certificate is evidence of an academic milestone; genuine education is demonstrated through knowledge, understanding, judgment, skills and the ability to apply learning responsibly.

The campaign against fake certificates must continue, but it should form part of a broader effort to restore credibility to the education system and redefine society’s understanding of achievement.

Nigeria needs people who can think critically, build things, solve problems, conduct meaningful research, create employment and serve the public with integrity. It needs universities that produce knowledgeable graduates, technical institutions that develop competent professionals and employers who reward ability without abandoning legitimate standards.

The ultimate measure of educational success should not be how many certificates a country distributes or how many titles its citizens attach to their names. It should be what its educated citizens can do with the knowledge they claim to possess.

Until Nigeria embraces this distinction, the country may continue to celebrate academic qualifications while struggling with the very deficiencies that education is supposed to overcome.

The greatest scandal, therefore, is not simply that some people obtain fake degrees. It is that society can become so obsessed with certificates that it pays insufficient attention to whether genuine education has taken place.