The Federal Government has fully digitised the evaluation and authentication of academic certificates, eliminating the need for applicants to visit the Federal Ministry of Education physically.
The reform, announced by the ministry on Tuesday, is expected to simplify the process of verifying academic credentials, reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks and improve the efficiency and transparency of certificate-related services.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, said the initiative represented a major step in the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and was in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Under the new system, applicants can complete the entire credential evaluation and authentication process online through the ministry’s dedicated platform, without having to appear physically at the ministry.
Alausa said the move was designed to make government services more accessible and convenient to Nigerians and applicants within and outside the country.
“This initiative is a major step in the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda and aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” the minister said.
According to him, the automation would not only make the certificate verification process faster but also strengthen the integrity and credibility of Nigeria’s academic certification system.
The minister said the new system would provide institutions, employers and other relevant stakeholders with a more structured and reliable mechanism for verifying academic qualifications.
He added that the reform would help eliminate unnecessary delays associated with manual processes while improving the overall experience of applicants seeking evaluation and authentication of their credentials.
“The reform is designed to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks, accelerate processing, improve transparency and provide more convenient services to Nigerians and applicants within and outside the country,” Alausa said.
The ministry explained that the digital process would enable applicants to submit their requests and complete the required procedures remotely, thereby removing the inconvenience and cost associated with repeated physical visits.
The development is also expected to improve the ministry’s ability to manage and process certificate verification requests by replacing manual interventions with a more structured digital system.
Alausa reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to leveraging technology to modernise education governance and improve institutional efficiency.
“Our commitment is to use technology to modernise education governance, improve institutional efficiency and deliver citizen-centred services,” he said.
The minister further emphasised the importance of ensuring that Nigeria’s academic credentials remain credible and verifiable, particularly as Nigerian graduates increasingly seek employment, further education and professional opportunities both locally and internationally.
The ministry said the automated system would provide stakeholders with a more reliable process for authenticating qualifications and help strengthen confidence in certificates issued by Nigerian and foreign institutions presented for official evaluation.
Applicants have consequently been advised to use the ministry’s official credential evaluation and authentication platform at essverify.education.gov.ng to access the service.
For enquiries and further information, applicants can contact the ministry through ess1@education.gov.ng.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the automation formed part of its broader efforts to deploy digital solutions across the education sector and make public services faster, more transparent and accessible to citizens.