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In Benin, higher education is available through public universities, private higher education institutions co-signed by the Benin Ministre de l'Enseignement Superior et de la Recherche Scientifique/MESRS (Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research), or private higher education institutions approved by the regional accrediting body, Conseil Africain et Malgache pour l'Enseignement Superieur/CAMES (African and Malagasy Council for Higher Education).
Benin does not presently accredit private higher education institutions as a whole; individual programs are submitted to the appropriate educational authorities for review, and only individual programs at private institutions are considered accredited. It is very common for private higher education institutions to offer a combination of accredited and unaccredited programs.
Whether approved by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research or CAMES, private institutions must have their individual degree programs accredited to be considered equivalent to those degree programs offered by public universities. As a result, only those individual degree programs that are approved by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research or CAMES are considered comparable to regionally accredited studies in the U.S.
There is a trend of universities in Benin offering educational qualifications aimed at Nigerian students to earn a 4-year Bachelor degree in English from a university in Benin. These are sometimes referred to as Cotonou degrees.
However, no English programs are accredited by the Ministry of Higher Education of Benin, a French-speaking country. In January 2024, Nigeria halted evaluations and accreditation for any degrees from Benin due to a news expose regarding selling university degrees in Benin to Nigerians. Dozens of universities were implicated in this expose, many of which now appear on the National Universities Commission website as illegal degrees or in news articles.
According to the federal government of Nigeria, only five universities in Benin are authorized to provide degree programs to students from Nigeria since 2024:
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Université d’Abomey-Calavi
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Université de Parakou
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Université Nationale des Sciences, Technologies, Ingénierie et Mathématiques
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Université Nationale d’Agriculture
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Université Africaine de Développement Coopératif
Formal education system in Benin:
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Patterned after the Bologna LMD since 2007/2008 (1st cycle: 3-year Licence, 2nd cycle: 2-year Master, 3rd cycle: Doctorat)
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Programs and credentials offered in French, with only a small number of approved “Bachelor” degrees and no English-language programs approved by the Benin Ministry
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Often follow ECTS credits, but not required, and many approved programs still use coefficients
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French-style grading on 20-point system
Commonalities of unrecognized programs outside the formal system:
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Nigerian students, WAEC entry-requirements, separate Nigerian recruitment websites or admissions criteria, Nigerian addresses on documents or website
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English language curriculum and documents, following the educational system of Nigeria: 4-year “Bachelor” degrees, though some 3-year degrees, Nigerian grading, Nigerian credits, 100-, 200-, etc level coursework, offered entirely in English and documents might not be available in French at all, TOEFL or other English-language documents required for admissions
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Many, but not all, programs are online or 70-80% online
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No enrollment dates on transcripts, or they contradict applicant’s other studies/age
The documents themselves also feature some concerning elements. There are no start or enrollment dates, only the award date on the diploma. The QR code doesn’t go to the official website. The classification of the degree is listed differently in multiple places.
Examples of legislation
No 001/MESRS/CAB/DC/SGM/DPP/DGES/SP (date) or
No 009/MESRS/CAB/DC/SGM/DPP/DGES/DEPES/SA (date).
After researching the order number, it corresponds to the date of creation or date of approval by the Ministry for that institution to offer programs in general. But further research shows that the programs do not match the English-language Bachelor degree.
It is common for institutions offering unrecognized programs to claim a connection with the Nigerian Ministry of Education to confirm the validity of its degrees, even advertising a letter from the Ministry of Education’s Education and Support Service department. The only connection we have been able to find is through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which runs compulsory one-year development placements for Nigerian graduates. In recent years, however, the Ministry of Education has said they would block graduates with unreliable qualifications from Benin from partaking in the program.
*It is important to note that sometimes recognized programs will also list the order number on an Attestation de Diplome or official Diplome, so the inclusion of this order number does not automatically signify that the program is not recognized. The order number can actually be very helpful in tracking down recognition or lack thereof sometimes. Recognized programs may also list other order numbers or decrees referring to the national education system, when the institution was authorized, when the institution adopted the LMD system, and more.
Recognized programs are far more likely to list the name of the the Ministere de l’Enseignement Superieur et de la Recherche Scientifique (but not always) on the official diploma above the name of the type of diploma awarded. Unrecognized programs will often mention the Ministry on the transcripts or website rather than on the diploma. If the applicant provides an Attestation de Diplome rather than the actual diploma, there is far less standardization. However, English-language programs generally do not include an Attestation de Diplome, since it’s much easier for English-language programs to reissue the official, unrecognized degree certificate.
New information! Benin institutions are working with Nigerian polytechnics to award National Diplomas and Higher National Diplomas through the polytechnics. It'll be interesting to watch as that develops.
Resources:
Benin Varsities, Nigerian Polys in NYSC Fraud. The Punch Nigeria. https://punchng.com/benin-varsities-nigerian-polys-in-nysc-fraud/
Concern over Nigerian Students Who Get Fake Degrees in Benin. University World News: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20220108145533388
Conseil Africain et Malgache pour l’Enseignement Superieur: https://pred.cames.online/web/home/resultats and https://www.lecames.org/diplome_cames/web/site/repertoire and https://www.lecames.org/diplome_cames/web/site/repertoire-simple and https://dicames.online/jspui/handle/20.500.12177/3626 and https://pred.cames.online/web/home/resultats
The Guardian: https://guardian.ng/features/education/certificate-ban-nigerian-students-in-benin-beg-fg-for-leniency/
Inside Story of ‘Tokunbo Degrees’ Nigerians Smuggle from Cotonou. Daily Nigerian: https://dailynigerian.com/investigation-inside-story-of-tokunbo-degrees-nigerians-smuggle-from-cotonou/
Ministry of Higher Education, Benin: https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/universites/TYPE_UNIVERSITE_UNIVERSITE and
https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/uploads/document_actualite/07ccfec01c103dab63756ab2b15455be.pdf and https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/uploads/universite_directory/85b712cd25f07f6b8487f34bbd4a8659.pdf and https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/doc/LISTE_EPES_ACTUALISEE.pdf and
and http://web.archive.org/web/20210506192659/https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/htdocs/enssup/carte-universitaire/ and https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/documents/TYPE_DOCUMENT_STATISTIQUES and https://enseignementsuperieur.gouv.bj/uploads/documents_directory/3db56aa4ec27a3fab5004cfab6c07c89.pdf
The Nation: https://thenationonlineng.net/ban-on-togo-benin-universities/
National Universities Commission, Nigeria: https://www.nuc.edu.ng/nigerian-univerisities/private-univeristies/ and https://www.nuc.edu.ng/2224-2/ and https://www.nuc.edu.ng/undergraduate-accreditation-results/ and https://www.nuc.edu.ng/nuc-cames-sign-mou-on-quality-assurance/ and https://education.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/NUC-Lists-58-Fake-Universities-in-Nigeria.pdf
Nigeria Bans Degrees from Five Countries. The Pie. https://thepienews.com/nigeria-bans-degrees-from-five-african-countries-over-credibility-questions/
Nigerian Tribune: https://tribuneonlineng.com/full-list-fake-degree-fg-names-recognised-togo-benin-republic-universities/
NYSC Warns Institutions against Fraudulent Graduate Mobilisation. Punch Nigeria. https://punchng.com/nysc-warns-institutions-against-fraudulent-graduate-mobilisation/
Over 45 Universities Affected as Nigeria Halts Evaluation for Togolese, Beninese Degrees. The Cable. https://www.thecable.ng/list-over-45-varsities-affected-as-nigeria-halts-evaluation-for-togolese-beninese-degrees/
Undercover: How Daily Nigerian Reporter Bagged Cotonou Varsity Degree in 6 Weeks, Participated in NYSC Scheme. Daily Nigerian: https://dailynigerian.com/undercover-how-daily-nigerian/
University World News: https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20220108145533388 and https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20240828200137550 and https://www.universityworldnews.com/post.php?story=20240206123548573