The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Adeola Oluwatosin Ajayi, to extend his ongoing institutional reforms to tackle the persistent problem of certificate forgery in Nigeria’s public and political institutions.
The body threw the challenge in a statement issued on Friday by its Assistant Secretary General, Adejuwon Emmanuel.
NANS called on the DSS to confront what it described as a “moral and institutional threat,” the rising wave of certificate forgery, which it said has continued to erode public confidence and tarnish Nigeria’s global reputation.
“Certificate forgery has become a national embarrassment that devalues genuine academic effort and undermines public trust in leadership,” Emmanuel said, citing recent reports of falsified credentials involving public officials, including a senior officer in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).
The union argued that such acts should be treated as national security concerns, not mere administrative breaches, given their potential to infiltrate governance and policymaking structures.
NANS also referenced historical cases, including the 1999 resignation of former House of Representatives Speaker Salisu Buhari, the 2018 resignation of former Finance Minister Kemi Adeosun, and the recent exit of Uche Nnaji, former Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, over certificate controversies.
While acknowledging that many of these scandals occurred under previous administrations, the students urged the DSS under Ajayi to leverage its intelligence-gathering and vetting mechanisms to strengthen verification systems across government institutions.
They recommended a digitised national certificate verification platform to authenticate academic and professional documents in real time, calling for collaboration between the DSS, the Ministry of Education, JAMB, NYSC, and tertiary institutions.
“Offenders must be promptly investigated and prosecuted to deter others. Every fake credential scandal diminishes the sacrifices of millions of students who earn their certificates legitimately,” the statement read.
Commending Ajayi’s first year in office, NANS described his tenure as one that has “inspired confidence, restored discipline, and strengthened institutional credibility.” However, it stressed that his enduring legacy would depend on how decisively he tackles the integrity crisis.
“This next phase, where moral integrity meets national security, will define the true legacy of Mr. Ajayi’s leadership,” Emmanuel added.
The statement comes amid growing public concern over certificate racketeering in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, following the recent resignation of Uche Nnaji, who stepped down earlier this month after allegations of forging his Bachelor’s degree and NYSC certificate.
Nnaji said his decision was to protect his integrity and avoid distractions to the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
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