Stakeholders raise concerns over universities’ accreditation

The integrity of Nigeria’s university accreditation process has again come under intense scrutiny as allegations of corruption and sharp practices involving the National Universities Commission (NUC) continue to surface, writes Iyabo Lawal for The Guardian Nigeria.

Stakeholders, including lawmakers, academics and parents, are raising concerns that bribery and manipulation are undermining the credibility of academic programmes across the country. Multiple sources have alleged that some universities, desperate to secure accreditation for their courses, resort to unethical conduct just to scale the accreditation hurdle.

These include hiring qualified and unqualified lecturers for just a day, temporarily assigning them offices with names on doors, and borrowing equipment solely for the duration of the NUC’s scheduled visits. Once the accreditation team departs, these arrangements are dismantled, leaving students with inadequate instruction and facilities. Stakeholders have questioned the integrity of accreditation exercises, alleging that the process has been compromised.
Full report on The Guardian Nigeria site