NBTE Partners US-Based MOC-LLC, Vows Clampdown on Fake Institutions

By: Aremu Toyeebaht

The National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) has reaffirmed its commitment to clamp down on mushroom institutions parading as polytechnics, warning that such unaccredited entities threaten Nigeria’s drive for quality education.

The agency also announced a landmark partnership with MOC-LLC, a United States-based research and training body, to introduce Applied Interdisciplinary Engineering and Technology Research into Nigerian polytechnics. According to the NBTE, the collaboration is designed to reposition the sector as a hub for innovation, research, and job creation.

Speaking during an accreditation visit to Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies in Abeokuta, Ogun State, NBTE’s Director of Polytechnic and Allied Programmes, Dr. Fatimah Kabir Umar, said the board would not relent in rooting out illegal institutions.

“We have been fighting against mushroom entities calling themselves what they are not… We won’t stop to fight such an establishment in the interest of safeguarding what is best for the nation,” she said.

Dr. Umar acknowledged that while some “bad eggs” would always exist, NBTE would intensify its oversight to ensure they do not derail the government’s commitment to quality technical education.

She further encouraged lecturers to prioritize professional growth by registering with relevant professional bodies.

Commending the management of Harvarde College, the NBTE director praised the institution for aligning with the Federal Government’s efforts to deliver qualitative tertiary education across the country.