Nigeria–Niger Commission receives verified list of accredited institutions from Niger

The Nigeria–Niger Joint Commission (NNJC) has received an official list of fully accredited private universities and higher institutions in the Niger Republic, in a move aimed at strengthening academic verification and cross-border education standards.

The list was approved by Niger’s Minister of Education and Scientific Research, Mamadou Saidou, who directed its transmission to the Secretary General of the Commission, Musa S. Mamman, during a formal meeting at his office.

According to the Minister, the document represents the only authentic and officially recognised record of accredited higher institutions in Niger. He emphasised that any list outside the verified submission should be treated with caution.

The compilation was undertaken and validated by the National Agency for Quality Assurance in Higher Education and Research, the country’s sole regulatory authority responsible for accreditation, evaluation, and quality assurance in the higher education sector.

The development is expected to enhance the integrity of academic certification, particularly in the area of international recognition and validation of qualifications obtained from Niger Republic institutions.

The agency’s role as the exclusive accrediting authority is further backed by the Declaration of Addis Ababa, which recognises it as the only body empowered to validate academic certificates within and outside the Niger Republic.

In a correspondence addressed to Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, the Commission requested that the list be circulated to relevant government agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and other regulatory bodies for official records and guidance.

The Commission noted that the verified list would serve as a definitive reference point for stakeholders in Nigeria, helping to ensure that only duly accredited institutions are recognised in official processes.

Established in 1971, the NNJC remains a key bilateral platform for cooperation between Nigeria and the Niger Republic, with responsibilities spanning security, trade, energy, agriculture, infrastructure, and education. In the education sector, the Commission plays a critical role in facilitating academic collaboration and ensuring the credibility of cross-border qualifications.