The Federal Government has introduced a fully digital system for the verification of academic credentials in Nigeria, ending the traditional practice of physical verification at the Federal Ministry of Education.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Friday and signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the new system is designed to improve transparency, reduce delays, and enhance the credibility of academic certificate authentication across the country.
It said the reform aligned with the Federal Government’s digital transformation agenda, which seeks to modernise public service delivery through technology and improve efficiency in government operations.
With the new policy, all applications for authentication and evaluation of academic credentials would now be processed strictly online via the ministry’s official portal at essverify.education.gov.ng. Applicants are required to register on the platform, upload relevant documents, and complete the entire verification process electronically.
The ministry stated that physical visits to its offices for credential verification have been discontinued, as the process is now fully automated.
It explained that this would simplify procedures, reduce administrative bottlenecks, and significantly shorten processing time for applicants.
As part of the requirements, applicants must also contact their respective institutions and request that academic transcripts be sent directly from the institutions’ official email addresses to ess1@education.gov.ng for verification and processing.
The ministry urged all applicants to strictly follow the new guidelines to ensure smooth processing of their requests, noting that compliance is essential for timely and successful verification.
It further reaffirmed its commitment to using digital technology to improve efficiency, strengthen data integrity, and ensure more transparent and reliable service delivery within the education sector in Nigeria.
