The Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered) (NIM) has commended the Federal Government’s decision to commence mandatory nationwide verification of academic credentials to ensure the authenticity and traceability of all certificates.

Commodore Abimbola Ayuba (rtd.), President, NIM, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Lagos.

Recall that the exercise beginning Oct. 6, is part of efforts to curb certificate racketeering in public and private institutions, and restore integrity to Nigeria’s education system.

Ayuba said the institute hailed the move which would be implemented through the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS) operating under the aegis of Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD).

He added that the development would end fake degrees, phony honours and diploma mills undermining Nigeria’s education credibility.

He added that fake certificates had thrived largely, because of weak processes that are sometimes compromised.

Ayuba said the strength of the new policy lay in its ability to link decentralised institutional databases into a federated system while preserving autonomy.

“The certificate verification exercise which kicks off on Oct. 6, will ensure that fake degrees and unearned honours will no longer slip through the cracks by ensuring that every credential presented in Nigeria is verifiable at the click of a button,” he said.

The NIM president also canvassed support for the mandatory nationwide academic verification exercise, which was jointly owned by all tertiary institutions and regulatory agencies.