The National Universities Commission flagged a viral message claiming to expose about 100 fake professors in Nigerian universities.
NUC said the message merged an old 2019 Channels TV report with a recently fabricated list to mislead the public.
The commission's executive secretary has led the body since December 2024, and NUC said no such cases were uncovered under his watch
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| NUC says the viral list of fake professors in Nigeria is fake. Photo Credit: @Imranmuhdz Source: Twitter |
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has asked Nigerians to disregard a message circulating online that claims to identify about 100 fake professors in Nigerian universities, describing it as deliberate misinformation.
The commission made the clarification in a tweet on Saturday, November 14, saying the viral message was a merger of two separate pieces of writing designed to mislead the public.
The content of the fake message contains
According to the NUC, the circulating message carries the title "About 100 Fake Professors Uncovered In Nigeria Universities" and includes a link to a Channels TV report originally published in 2019, alongside a fabricated list that was generated recently.
The commission said a careful reading of both texts makes it clear that the two were stitched together to create a false impression.
The NUC said the message was clearly designed to damage the reputation of the Nigerian University System (NUS) and to undermine the standing of Nigerian academics. NUC defends the integrity of the university system.
The commission pointed to the record of its current leadership as evidence that the claims in the viral message had no basis. Executive Secretary Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, who took office in December 2024, has worked to strengthen integrity and transparency within the university system, the NUC said, adding that no cases of fake professorships were uncovered during his tenure.
The NUC urged members of the public to be cautious about unverified messages related to Nigerian institutions, particularly those that combine old media reports with newly created content to appear credible.
The student, through his lawyer, Abdulfatai Abdulsalam, said he discovered that the university has not forwarded his name to JAMB for proper processing. Abdulsalam then informed regulatory bodies such as the Council of Legal Education (CLE) and the National Universities Commission (NUC) about the development.
