TRCN uncovers 250 fake teaching certificates in one state's recruitment

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) says it uncovered 250 fake teaching certificates during a single recruitment exercise.
What was found
TRCN Registrar Dr Ronke Soyombo disclosed this on Thursday, 12 November 2026, while monitoring the council's Professional Qualifying Examination in Abuja. She said the discovery was made when an unnamed state was recruiting about 1,000 teachers.
New safeguards
Soyombo said the council now issues certificates with QR codes that allow employers to verify them instantly on its portal before hiring. She said the council had also tightened exam security by giving candidates with different qualifications different, randomised questions, so that people sitting next to each other cannot copy.
Background
The TRCN regulates the teaching profession and requires teachers to pass its qualifying examination before they can be registered and licensed.
- 250 fake certificates were found in one exercise.
- The state was hiring about 1,000 teachers.
- New certificates carry QR codes.
