The National Universities Commission (NUC) has raised concerns over the presence of approximately 100 individuals suspected of falsely presenting themselves as professors in Nigerian universities.

The commission’s then Executive Secretary, Professor Abubakar Rasheed, disclosed this in the NUC’s November 2019 bulletin.

Rasheed explained that the commission had identified the individuals while compiling a directory of full professors in the Nigerian university system. Their details were reportedly uploaded to the commission’s website before being forwarded to the respective universities for verification.

He made the disclosure during the annual retreat organised for vice-chancellors of universities across the country, held between October 28 and November 5, 2019, at the NUC headquarters in Abuja.

According to him, the commission had detected questionable credentials submitted by some individuals who uploaded their curriculum vitae during the exercise.

He urged vice-chancellors to appoint designated officers responsible for examining the list of professors in their institutions and ensuring that accurate information was submitted through the commission’s designated online platform.

Rasheed also commended university administrators for their cooperation with the NUC Strategy Advisory Committee (STRADVCOM), which had produced several important publications, including the Directory of Full Professors in the Nigerian University System and the 2017–2018 Statistical Digest of the Nigerian University System.

He disclosed that updated editions of the publications were expected to be released by December 2019, explaining that the initiative was designed to improve the visibility and international recognition of Nigerian universities.

He further assured that the statistical digest would be reviewed and updated during the first quarter of every year.

Emphasising the need for collective action against academic misconduct, the NUC chief urged vice-chancellors to maintain accurate records of their institutions’ staff, students and other relevant information.

He also identified several irregularities discovered in private universities, including instances where individuals who had barely spent two years teaching were reportedly awarded professorial positions.

Rasheed consequently encouraged university heads to report anyone suspected of falsely claiming professorial status, whether within their institutions or elsewhere.

He also appreciated the vice-chancellors for ensuring that professors uploaded their curriculum vitae to the commission’s website, noting that the information played an important role in compiling the national directory and identifying questionable claims.

The retreat was conducted in three separate sessions involving vice-chancellors of federal, state and private universities.

The meetings provided an opportunity for university administrators to examine their responsibilities within the Nigerian university system, discuss existing challenges and explore possible solutions to improve the quality of university education.