The Federal Government has banned 18 foreign universities operating in Nigeria, describing them as
“degree mills,’’ warning Nigerians to avoid enrolling in such institutions.
The directive affected five universities from the United States, six from the United Kingdom, and three
Ghanaian tertiary institutions.
Also, the Federal Ministry of Education on Tuesday announced the temporary suspension of evaluation
and accreditation of degree certificates from the Republic of Benin and Togo.
Announcing the ban in a statement published on its website, the National Universities Commission
explained that the Federal Government had not licensed the affected universities and they had been
closed down.
It stated, “The National Universities Commission wishes to announce to the general public, especially
parents and prospective undergraduates that the under-listed “degree mills” have not been licensed by
the Federal Government and have therefore been closed down for violating the Education (National
Minimum Standards, etc.) Act of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The affected schools are the University of Applied Sciences & Management, Port Novo, Republic of
Benin, or any of its other campuses in Nigeria; Volta University College, Ho, Volta Region, Ghana, or any
of its other campuses in Nigeria; the International University, Missouri, USA, Kano, and Lagos Study
Centres, or any of its campuses in Nigeria and the Collumbus University, United Kingdom operating
anywhere in Nigeria.
The list also included Tiu International University, UK; Pebbles University, UK, operating anywhere in
Nigeria; London External Studies UK operating anywhere in Nigeria; Pilgrims University operating
anywhere in Nigeria; West African Christian University operating anywhere in Nigeria; EC-Council
University, USA, Ikeja, Lagos Study Centre and Concept College/Universities (London) Ilorin or any of its
campuses in Nigeria.

Others are Houdegbe North American University campuses in Nigeria, Irish University Business School
London, operating anywhere in Nigeria; University of Education, Winneba Ghana, operating anywhere in
Nigeria; Cape Coast University, Ghana, operating anywhere in Nigeria; African University Cooperative
Development, Cotonou, Benin Republic, operating anywhere in Nigeria; Pacific Western University,
Denver, Colorado, Owerri Study Centre and Evangel University of America & Chudick Management
Academic, Lagos.
The decision was sequel to an undercover investigative report titled, ‘How Daily Nigerian reporter
bagged Cotonou varsity degree in 6 weeks,’ published by the Daily Nigerian newspaper.