NUC speaks on misleading report about accreditation process in varsities
By Uji A Iliyasu
The attention of the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been drawn to a publication circulating on social media, attributed to one Taofik Olatubonsun. The said publication contains unfounded claims aimed at misleading the public regarding the Commission’s respected accreditation procedures. The assertion that accreditation is a mere formality, implying that universities lacking sufficient staffing can still be granted full accreditation, is entirely false, baseless, and stems from a misinformed perspective.
Ordinarily, the Commission would not respond to such spurious allegations made online. However, in this instance, it is imperative to set the record straight in order to preserve the integrity and reputation of Nigeria’s university system, which has been diligently built over the years. This rebuttal has therefore become necessary to prevent any collateral damage arising from the dissemination of falsehoods.
The Commission, a statutory body established by law, is the sole regulatory agency authorised under Section 10 of the Education (National Minimum Standards and Establishment of Institutions) Act, Cap E3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, to conduct accreditation of academic programmes in universities and other degree-awarding institutions across the country. Accreditation is one of the Commission’s core responsibilities, and it is a rigorous process aimed at ensuring that universities maintain high academic standards. The primary objective of accreditation is to ensure compliance with the Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS).
In discharging this mandate, the Commission employs a peer review mechanism by appointing independent panels of subject matter experts, predominantly professors, to evaluate academic programmes. The NUC’s quality assurance system is widely recognised as one of the most robust in Africa, with countries such as Namibia, The Gambia, and more recently, the Republic of Niger, seeking to understudy its best practices. Furthermore, many international institutions rely on the NUC’s accreditation outcomes when assessing applications from Nigerian students.
While no accreditation system is without its limitations, the Nigerian University System remains committed to the continuous enhancement of its quality assurance framework.
The NUC’s accreditation process entails the evaluation of individual academic programmes to assess their compliance with CCMAS. The instrument used for this evaluation comprises seven sections, four of which are considered core: Academic Matters, Staffing, Physical Facilities, and Library Resources. To attain Full Accreditation status, a programme must score a minimum of 70% in each of these four core areas, as well as an overall score of 70% or higher.
It must be emphasised that Full Accreditation does not suggest that a programme has attained perfection in all aspects. Rather, it indicates that the programme meets acceptable standards and has the potential for further improvement.
Staffing, as a critical component of the accreditation process, is evaluated using seven indicators, with particular emphasis on the adequacy of permanent academic staff. The Commission’s guidelines allow for a maximum of four part-time staff members, which equate to two full-time staff in terms of scoring per programme. During on-site accreditation visits, evaluators physically verify the presence of staff and scrutinise their employment records and qualifications. Any attempt by a university to misrepresent staffing data or falsify records will attract sanctions in accordance with the Commission’s guidelines.
In line with its code of conduct, the NUC maintains high ethical standards throughout the accreditation process, which all panel members are expected to uphold. Any staff member of the Commission found to have compromised the integrity of the process or acted in contravention of their terms of engagement shall face appropriate disciplinary measures. The Commission does not condone unethical behaviour and remains firmly committed to upholding transparency, due diligence, and the highest levels of integrity in its operations.
Following the conclusion of an accreditation exercise, submitted reports undergo a rigorous internal review process to ensure that evaluators complied with established guidelines. This is followed by a ratification session in which Commission officials present and defend the findings before the NUC Management Committee. This painstaking process is designed to ensure the credibility and reliability of the final accreditation results.
Despite ongoing challenges, the Nigerian University System continues to thrive and is determined to maintain a culture of excellence. As part of best practices, universities are encouraged to establish and strengthen their internal quality assurance mechanisms to bolster this culture of academic integrity and quality.
We wish to reassure the general public and all stakeholders that the NUC remains steadfast in its mission to ensure that Nigerian universities produce graduates of global competence. We therefore advise members of the public to rely on verified, factual information, rather than baseless allegations that seek to undermine the credibility of our higher education system.