The Ondo State Government has commended the Federal Government for implementing the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) programme, describing it as a transformative step in tackling corruption in the education sector.
Speaking to journalists in Akure, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Igbekele Ajibefun, said the activation of NERD after years of delay ranks among the most important reforms in the education sector since 1999.
Ajibefun, a former Vice Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, praised President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, for demonstrating courage and a clear understanding of the dangers posed by certificate racketeering. He said Ondo State would be one of the first to fully align with the initiative.
“The nation talks about corruption, but corruption includes academic fraud, unearned honours, and the unmerited advantages they confer. We have passed the stage of rhetoric and reached the stage of action. Using technology and targeted regulations to address this menace, as the Minister is doing, is commendable. It will ensure no institution in Nigeria offers its platform for illegal diploma mills,” he said.
Ajibefun, who served as a resource person during the policy formulation for NERD, explained that the programme will digitise and classify Nigeria’s academic body of knowledge, including theses, dissertations and project reports, dating back to the country’s first higher institution.
He said this would bring transparency to research documentation, unify academic credential verification and promote indigenous governance of the research space.
According to him, the Ondo State Government has already begun engaging its post-secondary and tertiary institutions to ensure compliance with the national initiative.
Ajibefun also hailed the establishment of the National Publication Index, which he described as a bold move to reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on foreign academic publishing platforms.
“For over a century, European and American publishers such as Elsevier defined the global academic agenda through platforms like Scopus. While we must remain part of the international research community, Nigeria must take intentional steps to move from being mere consumers.
The National Publication Index, with private sector participation, is a responsible use of state power to fill a critical development gap,” he said.
