The National Universities Commission (NUC) has disavowed the circulating media list of counterfeit professors in certain Nigerian universities. Chris Maiyaki, the Acting Executive Secretary of NUC, dismissed the list as 'fake, baseless, untrue, and a product of the author(s)' imagination.' He clarified that the list was originally released by the Commission in 2019, emphasizing ongoing efforts to update it. Maiyaki questioned the motive behind reviving a dated list four years later. The Acting Executive Secretary accused unscrupulous individuals of attempting to instigate panic and outcry at both national and international levels.

"To dispel any uncertainties, the Commission affirms that it launched a commendable project in 2019 with the aim of creating and publishing a comprehensive list of full Professors in the Nigerian Universities System (NUS) by utilizing an online portal to gather the required data. Throughout the process, the NUC identified discrepancies, such as the inclusion of Associate Professors under the designation of full Professors.

It is crucial to emphasize that the Commission, as a responsible Federal Government Agency, does not engage in incomplete initiatives that could tarnish the reputation of Nigeria and the NUS. This is why the Commission found it imperative to share the compiled data with Nigerian Universities for authentication by competent authorities, ensuring clarity on who qualifies as a full professor."

"Upon verification of the data, the Commission achieved a significant milestone by initially publishing the list of full Professors who participated in the 2019 exercise. It was anticipated that this would be followed by an ongoing process of regularly updating the roster of full Professors. It is imperative to clarify that all matters related to the 2019 verification of full Professors in Nigerian Universities were conclusively addressed in 2019. Subsequently, the Commission has established a more dependable system for generating the list of full Professors in the NUS.

The Commission is also mindful of the fact that some academics who were not included in the 2019 exercise may have since matured and advanced to the status of full Professors. This underscores the reason for the continuous updates to the list of full Professors in the NUS."

The National Universities Commission is unequivocally committed to safeguarding the integrity of the numerous diligent and dedicated academics within the Nigerian Universities System (NUS) who have garnered national and international respect and recognition. As mandated by its enabling laws, the Commission is entrusted with the crucial and strategic responsibility to preserve the quality and sanctity of all facets of our University Education delivery.

In response to a viral report that identified over 100 individuals as 'fake professors' associated with various universities, it is noteworthy that several institutions, including the University of Lagos, University of Ibadan, Covenant University, University of Ilorin, Redeemers University, among others, have promptly refuted the claim, denying the presence of fake professors within their ranks.