EXPLAINER: How to Verify Academic Certificates on FG Portal

By Esther Joshua

Nigerian employers, schools, organisations and individuals can now use ESSVerify, the Federal Ministry of Education’s online Evaluation and Authentication portal, to check the authenticity of academic certificates.

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, announced on Tuesday, September 8, that the evaluation and authentication of academic certificates under the Education Support Services (ESS) had been fully digitised and automated.

To verify an existing document, visit the ESSVerify portal at https://essverify.education.gov.ng, click on “ Verify a document”, and enter the document number displayed on the ESS-issued certificate or letter.

Subsequently, submit the request by clicking “Verify .”

The system will indicate whether the document is genuine.

The portal is also open to holders of Nigerian qualifications who intend to use them abroad and holders of foreign qualifications who want to use them in Nigeria.

Applicants seeking formal authentication of a Nigerian qualification or evaluation of a foreign qualification will need to complete a full application through the portal.

How to authenticate or evaluate your academic qualification

To begin:

Visit the ESSVerify portal and click “Start an application.”

Create an account with a valid email address, verify the email and complete the profile.

Log in and select the required service: Authentication, Evaluation, Eligibility/English Proficiency Letter or Letter of No Objection.

Provide the required personal and qualification details.

Select the documents to be processed and indicate the number of pages, where required.

Generate the Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) and make the required payment. Payments are non-refundable.

Upload clear and legible scanned copies of the required documents.

Where an official transcript is required, contact the registry of the awarding institution and request that the transcript be sent directly from the institution to the designated email address.