Regulatory Breaches Force FG to Cancel NTI 2026 Admissions, Halt Degree Schemes

The Federal Government has revoked all planned admissions into the National Teachers’ Institute’s (NTI) National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes for the 2026 academic session. This decisive action stems from significant regulatory infractions concerning admissions procedures, accreditation standards, and university affiliation agreements.

In a statement released on Saturday by Boriowo Folasade, the Director of Press and Public Relations for the Federal Ministry of Education, the Kaduna-based institute was explicitly instructed to terminate all existing university affiliations and arrangements for awarding degrees. The ministry underscored that the NTI lacks the proper authorization to confer NCE or university degrees.

Prospective students, their parents, and the general public have been strongly cautioned against seeking admission into these affected programmes, which include full-time, part-time, and Distance Learning Studies. The ministry's statement affirmed, "Consequently, all admissions into NTI’s NCE and degree programmes for the 2026 academic session have been cancelled, while the Institute has been directed to discontinue all university affiliations and degree-awarding arrangements, as it is not authorised to award NCE and university degrees."

Further warnings were issued to discourage the public from applying for these programmes, accepting any admission offers, or making payments. The ministry clarified, "The ministry emphasises that no further admissions into the affected programmes, whether full-time, part-time or through Distance Learning Studies (DLS), are permitted."

This directive follows the violation of Ministerial Operational Guidelines initially issued on September 12, 2025. The ministry highlighted that NCE admissions must adhere to the requirements set by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the accreditation standards stipulated by the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Furthermore, the National Universities Commission (NUC) has been directed to inform all implicated universities and ensure their compliance with the order to discontinue degree-awarding collaborations with NTI. However, the government has committed to safeguarding the interests of students already enrolled in current programmes, particularly those in the NCE II–IV Distance Learning Studies.

The NCCE is tasked with conducting a thorough accreditation of these existing programmes and their study centres across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. This evaluation will determine which students meet the criteria to complete their studies. As stated by the ministry, "To protect innocent students already enrolled, the NCCE will conduct comprehensive accreditation of existing NCE II–IV Distance Learning programmes and study centres across the six geopolitical zones. Eligible students may complete their programmes, subject to accreditation outcomes and regulatory requirements."

The ministry reiterated that NTI’s core mandate remains focused on teacher training, retraining initiatives, in-service professional development, and continuous professional growth. It also involves providing pedagogical capacity-building and a specialized three-to-six-month Abridged Programme for serving teachers who hold non-Education degrees, enabling them to gain the professional competencies required for registration with the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).

This intervention aims to protect students, uphold academic standards, and prevent future applicants from enrolling in unapproved programmes. The public is therefore advised to always confirm the accreditation and admission status of any academic programme through relevant regulatory bodies and official government channels before making enrolment or payment decisions.