By Son Tertsea, Abuja

The Federal Government is to embark on the full automation of the authentication and evaluation of academic credentials, aimed at ending physical visits for verification processes.

In a statement on Thursday, the Federal Ministry of Education through the Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, stressed that the reform is in furtherance of the current government’s digital transformation agenda.

“The Federal Ministry of Education has fully automated the process for the Authentication and Evaluation of academic credentials as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen transparency, improve data management, and enhance public service delivery,” the statement said.

The new arrangement requires applicants to register and upload documents via the ministry’s verification portal at essverify.education.gov.ng.

They are also expected to request their institutions to send transcripts directly from official institutional email addresses to ess1@education.gov.ng

Justifying the new system, the statement added, “This transition to a fully automated platform is expected to simplify procedures, reduce processing time, and further strengthen the integrity and credibility of academic credential verification in Nigeria,”

By Richard Abu, Abuja

The Nasarawa State University, Keffi Monday carried out environmental sanitation at Mokwala and Yelwa communities of Keffi town as part of activities lined up for the celebration of her 8th combined convocation ceremonies which was done by the staff of the university in collaboration with staff of the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority.

During the event, the university is to also celebrate her 25 yeas of existence.

Earlier, there was an inter – denominational church service at the Chapel of Salvation on Sunday. .

Speaking at the venue of the sanitation, the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sa’Adatu Hassam Liman represented by the Vice Chancellor administration, Professor Halima Doma Kutigi, stressed the need for the sanitation exercise which she said became necessary to expose the students of the university to the practical sanitary conditions apart from the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom.

Professor Kutigi who is the chairman, health sub-committee.for the combined convocation said Keffi town has hosted the university for the past twenty five years and stressed the need to do the sanitation as part of its social responsibility to the town.

Furthermore, she said that the exercise was to expose students to practical health education and sanitation.

In his speech, the Director General of the Nasarawa State Waste Management and Sanitation Authority, Dr. Musa Isa Bello, pointed out that the agency has decided to collaborate with the university in the areas of sanitation so that the students will imbibe the spirit of keeping the environment clean.

By Wumi Tewogbade, Abuja

A Magistrates’ Court sitting in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Wednesday adjourned to April 16, 2026, a suit filed by the National Association of Private School Owners (NAPS) against the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) and the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) over alleged multiple taxation, while urging all parties to explore amicable resolution through dialogue.

The court, after preliminary proceedings, emphasized the need for restraint and constructive engagement among the parties, noting that dialogue remains a viable path toward resolving the dispute without prolonged litigation.

NAPS had approached the court challenging what it described as overlapping and multiple tax demands imposed on private schools by both the FCTA and area councils, particularly AMAC.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the sitting, counsel to the association, Alexander N. Ogbo, confirmed the adjournment and provided insight into the substance of the case.

According to him, the dispute arose from what ought to be an institutional policy matter ordinarily handled by area councils in their dealings with schools, but which has now seen intervention from the FCTA through its agencies.

He explained that the development has resulted in multiple taxation, with schools receiving similar demands from AMAC, other area councils, and departments of the FCTA on the same issues.

“This overlap is creating institutional conflict and disrupting the smooth operation of schools, including their academic activities,” he said, adding that the situation has become increasingly serious.

Ogbo stressed that the core issue before the court is the challenge against multiple taxation, noting that private schools are caught in the middle of competing authorities.

“As the saying goes, when two elephants fight, the grass suffers. In this case, the schools are the grass, while the ‘elephants’ are the FCTA Health Department and AMAC,” he stated.

He further called on the FCTA and area councils to harmonize their responsibilities and establish a unified regulatory framework that would provide clarity for private school operators.

“Schools are not opposed to regulation; we simply need clarity. At the moment, there is confusion as to whether to comply with AMAC or the FCTA’s Public Health Department,” he added.

On the role of the court, the counsel noted that it is providing a neutral platform for all parties to present their cases and clarify procedural concerns, particularly regarding demand notices issued by the FCTA’s Health Department.

He also reiterated the association’s openness to settlement, emphasizing that dialogue remains the preferred option if the authorities are willing to engage constructively.

In her remarks, President of NAPS, Rukayat Agboola, maintained that private schools recognize regulatory oversight but insisted that such processes should be streamlined through the appropriate authority, particularly the Education Secretariat.

She said the association prefers that all directives concerning schools be channeled through a single regulatory body to avoid confusion and duplication.

Some members of the association who spoke to journalists described private schools as critical partners in national development, contributing to education and employment, and cautioned against treating them as revenue sources.

They decried what they termed excessive and multiple levies, including a controversial child-based tax reportedly pegged at five per cent of tuition fees per term, warning that non-compliance could affect school accreditation.

The plaintiffs are seeking judicial intervention to halt the alleged multiple taxation and compel the relevant authorities to streamline their regulatory and fiscal responsibilities.