The ministry described the reports as recycled misinformation designed to mislead the public and undermine confidence in the country’s university system.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, made the clarification in a statement issued on Saturday by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the statement, the NUC never announced that Nigeria had 2,000 universities, nor did it publish, endorse or authenticate the purported list of individuals being circulated online as fake professors.
The ministry explained that the allegation concerning fake professors originated from a distorted version of a media report published on December 3, 2019.
It said the original report concerned an exercise by the NUC to verify the directory of full professors in Nigerian universities and did not contain the names currently being circulated.
“The original report did not contain the names currently being circulated, which the Commission has since disowned,” the statement said.
The ministry expressed concern over the continued circulation of the claims, warning that they could damage public confidence in Nigerian universities and discredit ongoing efforts to improve the education sector, particularly the university system.
It urged members of the public, media organisations and social media users to disregard the reports and verify information about recognised universities and academic standards through the NUC’s official communication channels.
The ministry also reaffirmed its commitment to working with the NUC to protect academic integrity, strengthen quality assurance and preserve the credibility and international reputation of Nigeria’s university education system.
