FG cancels NTI's 2026 NCE and degree admissions over rule breaches
- The education ministry has cancelled all 2026 admissions into NTI's NCE and degree programmes.
- NTI, based in Kaduna, must also stop its university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements.
- Students already in NCE II–IV distance learning may finish, depending on an accreditation check.
The Federal Ministry of Education has cancelled every admission into the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes of the National Teachers' Institute (NTI), Kaduna, for the 2026 academic session.
The ministry also told the institute to end all its university affiliations and stop awarding degrees. In a statement on Saturday signed by Boriowo Folasade, director of press and public relations, the ministry said NTI is not authorised to award NCE or university degrees.
The warning matters for anyone planning to enrol: the ministry advised applicants, parents and the public not to apply, accept an offer or pay any fee for these programmes. That covers full-time, part-time and Distance Learning Studies (DLS).
Why the government acted
According to the ministry, the institute broke the Ministerial Operational Guidelines issued on 12 September 2025. The rules say NCE admissions must follow the requirements of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and meet accreditation standards set by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has been asked to inform the universities involved and make sure the order ending NTI's degree-awarding arrangements is obeyed.
NTI keeps its core job, the ministry said: training and retraining teachers, in-service development and continuous professional development. That includes a three-to-six-month special abridged programme for serving teachers who hold non-education degrees and need the skills to register with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
What happens next
Students already enrolled are not being thrown out immediately. The NCCE will carry out a full accreditation of existing NCE II–IV distance learning programmes and their study centres in all six geopolitical zones. Students who pass that check may be allowed to finish their programmes.
The ministry said the move is meant to protect students, keep academic standards up and stop more people from paying for programmes it does not approve.
Its advice to the public: confirm that a programme is accredited and that an admission is genuine through the regulatory bodies and official government channels before you enrol or pay.
