The House of Representatives has exonerated the Republic of Togo from allegations linking its universities to the issuance of fake academic certificates. This clearance follows diplomatic consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Togolese government.
However, attention now shifts to the Republic of Benin, with the House setting July 10, 2025, for a full-scale investigation into alleged certificate racketeering involving some of its institutions.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Bitrus Kwamoti Laori, disclosed this development during a hearing in Abuja on Petition No. 445 of 2024. The petition, submitted by Sovereign Legal Practitioners on behalf of key stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector, challenges the Federal Ministry of Education’s stance on degrees from certain West African institutions.
Laori explained that while the matter concerning Togo has been resolved, the spotlight remains on Benin Republic universities. The hearing, originally scheduled for this week, was postponed after the petitioners’ legal counsel cited health concerns and requested a new date.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the concerns initially raised about Togo have been addressed. Our lingering issue now lies solely with institutions in Benin Republic,” Hon. Laori said. “This matter is now adjourned to July 10, and we are directing the Federal Ministry of Education to appear and explain the framework for pre-qualification exams related to these institutions.”
The investigation stems from a broader fallout after the Federal Government, in December 2024, dismissed several civil servants found to have obtained degrees from private universities in Togo and Benin Republic between 2017 and 2024.
In a related move, the House is also probing findings from an undercover investigation which revealed a thriving black market in Benin Republic where university degrees are allegedly sold to willing Nigerians.
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