Authentication of documents by the Ministry of Education is the official government process of proving that your school certificate, degree, or any other academic document is real and legally issued by a recognized school.
Before your academic documents can be authenticated at the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they must first pass through authentication at the Ministry of Education. The Federal Ministry of Education has fully automated the process, meaning all applications for authentication and evaluation of academic credentials will now be processed strictly online through the Ministry’s official verification portal.
In this guide, you will find out what authentication of documents at the Ministry of Education means, which documents can be authenticated, the requirements, how to go about the authentication, and how much it costs.
Key takeaways
- Authenticating your academic documents means getting them verified and stamped by the Federal Ministry of Education to prove they are real, which most foreign schools and employers require before accepting them.
- Only academic documents like degrees, diplomas, WAEC/NECO results, transcripts, and professional certificates can be authenticated at the Ministry of Education.
- The entire process is now done online through the Ministry’s evaluation and accreditation portal, and your school must email your transcript directly to the Ministry for transcript authentication.
- Authentication costs between ₦15,000 and ₦40,000 depending on the document type and number of pages, and it usually takes 1 to 3 working days to complete.
What is academic document authentication?
Authentication of documents at the Ministry of Education simply means having your academic documents verified and stamped by the Ministry. If you’re planning to study, work, or settle outside Nigeria, you’ll be asked to authenticate your academic documents before any foreign institution, agency, or embassy will accept them.
You must authenticate your academic documents at the Ministry of Education first before they can be authenticated at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
This entire authentication process confirms that your documents are genuine, and it helps to prevent fraud.
Academic documents that can be authenticated at the Ministry of Education
Only academic documents like tertiary institution certificates, secondary school certificates, transcripts, and professional certificates are authenticated at the Ministry of Education:
- Tertiary institution certificate: university degrees (bachelor, master, PhD), diplomas, Higher National Diplomas (HND), Ordinary National Diplomas (OND), and National Certificates in Education (NCE)
- Secondary school certificate: WEAC, NECO, GCE, NABTEB, and NBAIS
- Transcripts: university transcripts from Nigerian universities
- Professional certificates: certificate in nursing, medicine, ICAN, NSE, and other professional bodies.
Requirement for academic document authentication
The requirements for the authentication of documents Ministry of Education are:
- A registered account on the official portal: As an applicant, you must sign up on the portal to create your account before you can submit anything.
- A valid, verifiable email address: Use a valid email to register and receive updates on your application.
- Original academic documents: certificates, secondary school results, and other credentials being authenticated.
- Evidence of Payment of the applicable fee: This is paid directly through the portal, and the system generates an RRR code once you select the document type, so a multi-page transcript should be budgeted for accordingly.
- A transcript sent directly by your institution: This is no longer something you submit yourself; your university, polytechnic, or college must email it directly from its official institutional address to the ministry’s designated verification email (ess1@education.gov.ng), and applicants are advised to contact their school’s registry early since this step is outside their control.
- A valid means of identification: (NIN or the data page of your international passport).
- Professional ID or license: Required when you’re authenticating a professional certificate.
Steps to authenticate academic documents in Nigeria
On the 15, of April 2026, the Federal Ministry of Education announced that authentication and evaluation of academic documents will only be done online; no more walking into a physical office to authenticate your documents:
Here is a step-by-step breakdown for the Ministry of Education Nigeria authentication:
- Contact your institution to send your transcript: The Ministry of Education will only authenticate your transcript if it was sent to ess1@education.gov.ng by your university. Reach out to your institution on time to send your transcript to the official email above for transcript authentication.
- Open an account: Sign up and open an account on the Federal Ministry of Education authentication portal, which is the new official site for the authentication of documents. Validate your email and proceed to log in.
- Select application type: Select the authentication of documents, and provide all documents and details that will be requested.
- Pay the required fee: Pick the type of document you are authenticating, and the system will automatically calculate the total cost and generate a specific RRR code for that transaction. Once the RRR is generated, you will have several options to pay, such as debit card payment or bank transfer, and if payment is confirmed, your status will change on the portal. The fee you pay is non-refundable.
- Upload documents: Scan and upload a clear copy of the original document you want to authenticate for verification by the Ministry of Education.
- Check your email: You will receive an email with the authentication status, and your authenticated documents will be emailed to you once the process is complete.
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How much does the authentication of academic documents cost?
The cost of authenticating academic documents ranges from ₦15,000 to ₦40,000, depending on the type of document and the number of pages to be authenticated. For instance, the current rate we offer for authenticating a WAEC certificate is ₦20,000, while a BSc certificate costs ₦40,000. Prices may also vary slightly where fast-tracking is requested.
What happens after Ministry of Education authentication
After you complete your Ministry of Education authentication online, your next step is to proceed to authenticate it at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then it will finally be ready for legalization by the foreign country’s embassy.
Frequently asked questions
The Ministry of Education, Abuja, is located at Block 5A, Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Area, P.M.B. 146, Garki, Abuja.
The authentication of academic documents can take between 1 and 3 working days.
Yes. As of April 2026, the Federal Ministry of Education has made the entire process of authenticating academic documents to be carried out online.
Yes, the Federal Ministry of Education would require your school to send your transcript directly to their official email address(ess1@education.gov.ng).
Yes. Before visiting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, your document must be authenticated by the Ministry of Education.
Conclusion
Authenticating your academic documents with the Ministry of Education isn’t optional; it’s a necessary step, especially if you’re planning to study abroad, apply for a visa, or you’ve just received a job offer overseas. This step has to happen before your documents can move on to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and, ultimately, the embassy for legalisation.
Now that the process is fully online, it’s much faster and easier than before. Not sure how to get started on that? Reach out to a reliable document agency for your academic document authentication.
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