By Hosea Parah
The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Sports (NIS), Comrade Philip Shaibu, has announced a new technology-driven system for verifying certificates issued by the Institute, including certificates awarded in previous years.
According to a statement signed by Ben Ogbemudia, from the Office of the Director General and Chief Executive Officer National Institute for Sports ADC in Abuja, the announcement was made in the presence of the Technical Director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Augustine Eguavoen, and underscores the Institute’s commitment to improving the credibility, security, and global recognition of its qualifications.
Under the new system, NIS certificates will feature a scannable technology that will allow their authenticity to be verified digitally from anywhere in the world.
The innovation is expected to make certificate verification faster, easier and more reliable for employers, sports organisations, educational institutions and other bodies seeking to confirm the qualifications of NIS graduates.
A major feature of the initiative is its coverage of certificates issued in the past.
This means that graduates and coaches who obtained their qualifications from the Institute in previous years will also benefit from the new verification process.
The move is aimed at protecting the integrity of NIS certificates, reducing the risk of forgery and ensuring that genuine certificate holders can confidently present their qualifications for professional opportunities locally and internationally.
The introduction of the system reflects the ongoing reforms under Comrade Shaibu’s leadership, with a focus on modernising the Institute’s operations and adopting technology to improve service delivery. By making certificate verification more accessible, NIS is taking another step towards strengthening accountability, promoting transparency and building confidence in its academic and professional training programmes.
The initiative is particularly significant for sports coaches and other professionals seeking opportunities beyond Nigeria, where the ability to verify academic and professional credentials is an important part of recruitment and career advancement.
The new system is expected to make it easier for relevant organisations to establish the authenticity of NIS qualifications without relying solely on traditional manual verification procedures.