Reps clear Togo of certificate fraud, shift focus to Benin Republic
By Jeffrey Agbo
The House of Representatives has officially cleared the Republic of Togo of involvement in the issuance of fake academic certificates, as investigations continue into a widespread certificate forgery scandal that rocked Nigeria’s education system.
This decision was revealed during a resumed investigative hearing held by the House Committee on Public Petitions in Abuja on Friday.
The probe follows a petition filed by Sovereign Legal Practitioners on behalf of key education stakeholders, challenging an earlier blanket statement by the Federal Ministry of Education that implicated both Togo and the Republic of Benin in the scandal.
Chairman of the Committee, Bitrus Laori, confirmed that findings from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have exonerated Togo, reaffirming the legitimacy of its educational institutions.
“The Republic of Togo has been cleared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The outstanding issue remains with the Republic of Benin,” Laori stated.
The committee has now shifted its focus entirely to the Republic of Benin, where a suspected syndicate operating a fake degree racket is believed to still be active. A fresh hearing on the matter has been scheduled for Thursday, July 10, 2025, following the adjournment of Friday’s session due to the absence of the petitioners’ legal representative.
In addition, the committee has summoned the Federal Ministry of Education to provide clarification on its 2024 policy requiring foreign degree holders to undergo pre-qualification examinations—a move that has drawn concern from Nigerian students who studied abroad.
“This matter is adjourned to July 10, and we are issuing another summons to the Federal Ministry of Education. We need clarification on the pre-qualification examinations being imposed on graduates from the Benin Republic, which is currently affecting hundreds of Nigerian students and graduates,” Laori added.
The renewed investigation stems from a high-profile undercover operation in late 2024, during which a Nigerian journalist exposed a certificate-for-sale racket involving several unaccredited institutions in the Benin Republic. The revelations sparked widespread outrage and prompted immediate disciplinary actions across various government agencies.
Between 2017 and 2024, numerous civil servants were dismissed for presenting degrees from dubious foreign universities.
