…Defends integrity of quality assurance process
The National Universities Commission, NUC, has strongly defended its accreditation process, describing recent media claims as misleading, unfounded, and harmful to the reputation of Nigeria’s higher education system.
NUC’s rebuttal follows a viral social media post credited to one Taofik Olatubonsun, which alleged that the Commission’s accreditation of university programmes was a mere formality and that institutions lacking adequate staffing could still secure full accreditation.
But in a swift and detailed statement issued on Thursday, NUC Executive Secretary, Prof Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, dismissed the assertions as “false, baseless, and uninformed.”
“The Commission, which would ordinarily not respond to such spurious online allegations, is duty-bound to issue this rebuttal to clear the air and avert any collateral damage to the hard-earned reputation of our university system,” Ribadu stated.
The NUC boss reaffirmed that accreditation is one of the Commission’s core mandates, backed by law, and that it operates one of the most rigorous and respected quality assurance systems on the continent.
According to him, several countries, including Namibia, The Gambia, and Niger Republic, have studied Nigeria’s accreditation framework, and many foreign universities rely on NUC’s assessments in evaluating applicants.
NUC’s accreditation process evaluates academic programmes against the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards, CCMAS, and involves peer review by independent subject-matter experts, typically professors.
The process is structured around seven key sections, with four core areas: Academic Matters, Staffing, Physical Facilities, and Library.
To achieve Full Accreditation, a programme must score at least 70 per cent in each of the four core areas and an overall score of 70 per cent or more.
However, Ribadu clarified that Full Accreditation does not imply perfection but rather a satisfactory level of compliance with set standards.
“Staffing, a core component, is evaluated using seven indicators, with permanent staff adequacy being a major factor. Only four part-time academic staff, counted as equivalent to two permanent staff, are permitted for scoring purposes.
“Physical inspections during accreditation visits ensure the actual staff strength is verified through employment and qualification records,” he said.
The NUC also warned that any attempt by universities to manipulate records or present unqualified staff during accreditation visits would attract sanctions.
The Commission further stressed that it holds evaluators and its own officers to strict ethical standards, and any breach would be met with severe disciplinary action.
Ribadu noted that to ensure the integrity of its accreditation outcomes, the NUC conducts an internal review of all accreditation reports and subsequently defends them before its management committee in a final ratification session.
He described this process as “painstaking but essential to guaranteeing credibility.”
Reiterating the Commission’s commitment to upholding high academic standards, the NUC urged stakeholders and the public to seek and rely on verified information rather than unfounded social media claims that could erode confidence in Nigeria’s higher education system.
“As a university system that has enjoyed decades of reputable quality assurance, we remain determined to ensure that Nigerian universities continue to produce graduates who can compete globally,” Ribadu stated.
He also encouraged institutions to develop strong internal quality assurance mechanisms to complement the national framework, stressing that the Commission will continue to strengthen its processes in line with global best practices.
