WorldStage— The Federal Government has of Nigeria has dismissed viral social media claims alleging that the country has 2,000 universities and that approximately 100 professors in the country have been exposed as fake.
In a press statement issued on Saturday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, described the reports as malicious, false, and misleading.
The statement, signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, clarified that the National Universities Commission (NUC) never issued such declarations, published any list of fake professors, or authenticated the names currently circulating online.
According to the ministry, the viral claims represent a recycled and heavily distorted version of an old media report from December 3, 2019.
That historical exercise involved the NUC compiling a directory and checking for administrative anomalies, such as associate professors erroneously listed as full professors, rather than uncovering or publishing a roster of fraudulent academics.
The government warned that recirculating fabricated lists is part of a deliberate effort to erode public confidence in the nation’s tertiary education sector.
Official records show that Nigeria’s total university count stands far below the exaggerated figure, with data tracking roughly 262 recognized universities nationwide.
The Federal Ministry of Education urged members of the public, media practitioners, and social media users to disregard the fake reports.
It encouraged citizens to always verify institutional data and academic credentials through the NUC Official Portal, reiterating the administration’s commitment to safeguarding academic integrity and quality assurance across the country.
