Analysis of Results of Accreditation of undergraduate programmes taught in Nigerian Universities (1990 - 2014)

1. DEGREE
ACCREDITATION
IN NIGERIAN
UNIVERSITIES
ACCREDITATION
OF DEGREE
PROGRAMMES
(1990 – 2014)

2. The National Universities Commission (NUC) is a
parastatal of the Federal Ministry of Education charged
with the responsibilities of orderly development of
Universities in Nigeria.
The Department of Quality Assurance (DQA) of NUC is
saddled, among others, with the responsibility of
“Coordination of accreditation visits to academic
programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate
levels”.
This presentation is an analysis of “RESULTS OF
ACCREDITATION OF UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC
PROGRAMMES TAUGHT IN NIGERIAN UNIVERSITIES
(1990 - 2014)” as published on NUC Website

3. The accreditation of degree and other academic programmes
by the NUC means a system for recognizing educational
institutions (Universities and programmes offered in these
institutions) for a level of performance, integrity and quality
which entitles them to the confidence of the educational
community, the public they serve and employers of labour.
DEFINITION & OBJECTIVES OF ACCREDITATION
The objectives of accreditation of academic programmes in
Nigerian Universities are to:
a) Ensure that at least the provisions of the Minimum Academic
Standards document are attained, maintained and enhanced;
b) Assure employers and other members of the community that
Nigerian graduates of all academic programmes have attained an
acceptable level of competency in their areas of specialization; and
c) Certify to the international community that the programmes
offered in Nigerian Universities are of high standards and their
graduates are adequate for employment and for further studies.
DEFINITION
OBJECTIVES

4. STATUS OF ACCREDITATION
The status of Accreditation are as follows:
I. FULL ACCREDITATION
This shall be granted to any degree or other academic programme that
has satisfied the Minimum Academic Standards (MACS). Full Accreditation
shall be granted for a period of six (6) academic sessions with a mid-term
appraisal after three years. After the six academic sessions, there shall be a
Re-accreditation visit.
II. INTERIM ACCREDITATION
This shall be granted to any degree or other academic programme that
has minor deficiencies that must be rectified within a stipulated period.
Interim Accreditation shall be granted for a period of not more than two
(2) academic sessions.
III. DENIED ACCREDITATION
Denied Accreditation shall apply to any degree or other academic
programme which has failed to satisfy the approved Minimum Academic
Standards (MACS). Request for Re-visitation for the purpose of
Accreditation shall come from the University concerned.

5. IMPLICATIONS OF ACCREDITATION STATUS
a) When an Academic Programme is denied Accreditation, the Commission shall inform
in writing the Vice-Chancellor of the University concerned stating the reasons for
denying the programme Accreditation and the steps to be taken to bring the
programme up to the Minimum Academic Standards required for Accreditation.
b) When this decision is communicated, the University shall cease to admit students
into such a programme with effect from the next admission exercise. The proprietors
shall also be advised to stop funding the programme.
c) The Commission shall also inform the general public and such relevant bodies as
Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, National Youth Service Corps, Civil Service
Commission, Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA), relevant
professional regulatory body, Nigerian Students Loans Board, Nationals Directorate
of Employment (NDE), and the various Federal and States Scholarship Boards about
the denied Accreditation.
d) Programmes granted Interim Accreditation which fail to rectify the identified
decencies within he stipulated maximum period of two academic sessions shall
automatically convert to the status of Denied Accreditation at the end of the period.
e) During the period of Interim Accreditation, Universities may continue to admit
students into the programme(s) affected.
f) Any student that graduates within 2 yeas after the programme would have been
granted Interim or Denied Accreditation, should not be denied recognition of his/her
certificate.

6. DEGREE PROGRAMME ACCREDITATION CRITERIA
1.
PHILOSOPHY AND
OBJECTIVES OF THE
PROGRAMME TO BE
ACCREDITED
2.
CURRICULUM
3.
TEACHING STAFF
QUANTITY AND
QUALITY
4.
STUDENTS
ADMISSION,
RETENTION AND
GRADUATION
5.
STANDARDS OF
DEGREE
EXAMINATION
6.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
7.
PHYSICAL FACILITIES
8.
ADMINISTRATION
OF DEPARTMENT
9.
EMPLOYERS’ RATING
OF GRADUATES

7. REQUEST FOR RE-VISITATION
I. A PROGRAMME DENIED ACCREDITATION
A programme which is denied accreditation on first visitation shall be
subjected to a full accreditation visitation whenever the University
concerned considers the Programme ready for accreditation. The request
for Re-Visitation shall come from the University concerned. The University
will therefore be requested to complete the Self-Study Form (NUC/SSF).
II. A PROGRAMME GRANTED INTERIM ACCREDITATION
A University which wishes a programme already granted Interim
Accreditation Re-visited within the stipulated period shall inform the
Commission in writing. Upon receipt of such a request, the Commission
shall send the Accreditation Re-Visitation Form (NUC/ARVF) to the
University for completion.
The purpose of the Re-Visitation exercise is to ascertain if the minor
deficiencies identified in an earlier visitation had been rectified and if other
criteria for accreditation found to have been met during an earlier visit are
still being maintained or improved upon to enhance the quality of the
programme.

8. ANALYSIS OF
ACCREDITATION
RESULTS

9. SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION (1990 – 2014)
YEAR FULL INTERIM DENIED TOTAL % FULL % INTERIM % DENIED
1990 173 527 70 770 22.47 68.44 9.09
1999/2000 157 1023 13 1193 13.16 85.75 1.09
2002 42 150 22 214 19.63 70.09 10.28
2005 651 821 113 1585 41.07 51.80 7.13
2006 192 153 11 356 53.93 42.98 3.09
2007 845 337 35 1217 69.43 27.69 2.88
2008 179 143 15 337 53.12 42.43 4.45
2009 236 238 38 512 46.09 46.48 7.42
2010 32 33 7 72 44.44 45.83 9.72
2011 71 39 110 64.55 35.45 0.00
2012 698 373 87 1158 60.28 32.21 7.51
2013 191 171 13 375 50.93 45.60 3.47
2014 705 462 53 1220 57.79 37.87 4.34
2015 23 38 2 63 36.51 60.32 3.17

10. SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION
YEAR FULL INTERIM DENIED TOTAL % FULL % INTERIM % DENIED
1990 143 394 48 585 24.44 67.35 8.21
1999/2000 136 701 7 844 16.11 83.06 0.83
2002 33 92 5 130 25.38 70.77 3.85
2005 462 372 50 884 52.26 42.08 5.66
2006 133 88 7 228 58.33 38.6 3.07
2007 375 94 13 482 77.8 19.5 2.7
2008 65 46 11 122 53.28 37.7 9.02
2009 79 37 14 130 60.77 28.46 10.77
2010 5 1 6 83.33 0 16.67
2011 17 5 22 77.27 22.73 0
2012 140 61 10 211 66.35 28.91 4.74
2013 5 3 8 62.5 37.5 0
2014 578 402 51 1031 56.06 38.99 4.95
2015 3 20 23 13.04 86.96 0
FEDERAL

11. SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION
YEAR FULL INTERIM DENIED TOTAL % FULL % INTERIM % DENIED
1990 30 133 22 185 16.22 71.89 11.89
1999/2000 21 322 6 349 6.02 92.26 1.72
2002 9 55 17 81 11.11 67.9 20.99
2005 178 395 63 636 27.99 62.11 9.91
2006 35 51 3 89 39.33 57.3 3.37
2007 384 155 12 551 69.69 28.13 2.18
2008 88 59 2 149 59.06 39.6 1.34
2009 93 106 8 207 44.93 51.21 3.86
2010 19 21 2 42 45.24 50 4.76
2011 45 11 56 80.36 19.64 0
2012 355 218 62 635 55.91 34.33 9.76
2013 108 103 11 222 48.65 46.4 4.95
2014 85 32 1 118 72.03 27.12 0.85
2015
STATE

12. SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION
YEAR FULL INTERIM DENIED TOTAL % FULL % INTERIM % DENIED
1990
1999/2000
2002 3 3 0 100 0
2005 11 54 65 16.92 83.08 0
2006 24 14 1 39 61.54 35.9 2.56
2007 86 88 10 184 46.74 47.83 5.43
2008 26 38 2 66 39.39 57.58 3.03
2009 64 95 16 175 36.57 54.29 9.14
2010 8 12 4 24 33.33 50 16.67
2011 9 23 32 28.13 71.88 0
2012 203 93 16 312 65.06 29.81 5.13
2013 78 65 2 145 53.79 44.83 1.38
2014 42 28 1 71 59.15 39.44 1.41
2015 20 18 2 40 50 45 5
PRIVATE

13. 1. In 1990, Nigeria had just about 30 Universities comprising of
22 Federal and 8 State Universities;
2. A total of 103 Universities were listed in the Accreditation
result of 1990 - 2014;
3. 27 Universities – Federal, 34 Universities – State, 42
Universities – Private;
4. There are over 500 unique courses in Nigerian Universities;
5. About 50% of all Courses received INTERIM accreditation,
45% FULL and 5% DENIED accreditation;
6. FULL Accreditation across Universities; Federal – 52%, State
– 44%, Private – 41%;
7. INTERIM Accreditation across Universities; Federal – 43%,
State – 50%, Private – 55%;
8. DENIED Accreditation across Universities; Federal – 5%,
State – 6%, Private – 4%.
SUMMARY OF ACCREDITATION (1990 – 2014)

14. Reference –
Accreditation Results (1990-April 2015) - NUC
(May, 2015)
1
Manual of Accreditation Procedures - NUC
(March, 2012)
2

15. Analysis by: Wale Micaiah
e: walegate@yahoo.com
m: 08078001800
w: www.statisense.com
w: www.walemicaiah.com
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