Federal government has taken a significant step to enhance the integrity of Nigeria’s education system by deploying the Nigeria Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD), a national digital platform that secures, digitizes, and authenticates academic records across all tertiary institutions.

Forgery

Maruf Tunji Alausa, minister of Education, unveiled the initiative during the National Capacity Building Programme for institutional representatives, underscoring NERD’s importance as a critical national infrastructure for safeguarding academic credentials and strengthening education data governance.

“NERD is essential to our reform agenda under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,”  Alausa stated.

“It ensures reliable digital preservation and verification of academic records, which is vital for maintaining the credibility of our education system.”

According to Alausa, in the brief span of four months since its implementation, NERD has made remarkable progress, successfully preserving nearly 100,000 digital student submissions and integrating over 250 tertiary institutions.

The platform has also enrolled more than 133,000 students and 6,800 lecturers, significantly enhancing the academic record-keeping process.

Alausa highlighted that the initiative is a proactive measure against certificate fraud, noting recent investigations that revealed cases involving fraudulent foreign credentials procured from unaccredited institutions.

This underscores the urgency of protecting the integrity of academic qualifications in Nigeria.

Furthermore, the Ministry announced that participation in the NERD system will soon become a prerequisite for either participation in or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps scheme, reinforcing the initiative’s impact on the educational landscape.

The Federal Government remains committed to building a transparent, digitally verifiable, and globally respected education system, ensuring that the integrity of academic records is upheld across the nation.

Goodnews Naija Podcast, a digital platform dedicated to highlighting positive, uplifting stories and innovations from Nigeria, has launched Building in Nigeria, a documentary-style series aimed at spotlighting entrepreneurs and businesses contributing to economic activity and job creation across the country.

The series explores the realities of running and scaling businesses in Nigeria, featuring founders, operators, and innovators across sectors including manufacturing, services, agriculture, and sustainability.

Through interviews and on-ground visuals from workshops, markets, factories, and small offices, the programme examines the operational discipline, challenges, and execution processes required to build viable enterprises in a complex business environment.

Damilola Kehinde, host of the series, said the programme focuses on entrepreneurs whose contributions to economic progress often receive limited visibility.

According to the producer, Memunat Oladepo, the series seeks to move beyond surface narratives by providing practical insights into how Nigerian businesses are started, sustained, and grown despite infrastructure gaps, funding constraints, and market volatility.

The organisers said Building in Nigeria is targeted at entrepreneurs, investors, and policy-interested audiences seeking grounded perspectives on enterprise development in the country.

The first season is scheduled to premiere on March 11, 2026, across Goodnews Naija’s YouTube channel, social media platforms, and podcast platforms, where it recorded over 24 hours of viewership within the first day of release.

Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has warned Lagos traders against enforcing the unlawful “no return, no refund” policy, declaring it illegal under the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Act (FCCPA) 2018.

FCCPC

Dr Olubunmi Otti, FCCPC Southwest Zonal Coordinator, issued the directive during the inauguration of new executives of the Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association (PAPDA) on Wednesday, stressing consumer education as the strongest defence against market exploitation.

“There is no such thing as ‘no return, no refund’. If a product does not fulfil its intended purpose, the consumer has the right to return it,” Otti declared, adding the commission mediates complaints for refunds, replacements, or exchanges.

Non-compliant businesses face fines, product withdrawals, seizures, prosecutions, or shutdowns. Otti noted thousands of monthly complaints via the FCCPC portal in the Southwest alone, with sensitisation expanding to Alaba Market and Trade Fair Complex.

She urged consumers: “When your rights are violated, do not just say, ‘You give it to God.’ Bring your complaints to the FCCPC. The law empowers us to protect you,” while calling for traders’ collective responsibility to ensure quality products and services.