Nigeria Cancels 2026 National Teachers’ Institute Certificate and Degree Admissions

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Education cancelled all admissions for the 2026 academic session into National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes at the National Teachers’ Institute in Kaduna on 7 November. It also ordered the institute to end all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, saying NTI was not authorised to award those qualifications. The ministry said “no further admissions into the affected programmes, whether full-time, part-time or through Distance Learning Studies (DLS), are permitted.” It told prospective students not to apply, accept offers or make payments for the affected courses. The statement cited regulatory breaches involving admissions, accreditation and university affiliations, alongside operational guidelines issued on 12 September 2025. It said NCE admissions must meet Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board requirements and National Commission for Colleges of Education accreditation standards. Existing students face a separate accreditation process. The National Commission for Colleges of Education will assess NCE II–IV distance-learning programmes and study centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Students already enrolled may complete their studies only subject to the accreditation results and regulatory requirements. The National Universities Commission must notify affected universities and enforce the end of NTI’s degree arrangements. The ministry said the institute’s statutory work would continue in teacher training, retraining, in-service development and continuing professional development. This includes a three-to-six-month Special Abridged Programme for serving teachers who hold non-education degrees to gain the professional competencies required for Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria registration, subject to applicable regulations.