Nigeria’s Teachers Council Warns Teachers and Applicants About Fake Portals

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria has warned teachers, school owners and prospective applicants not to trust fake portals claiming to provide access to its registration, Professional Qualifying Examination, certification and other services.

In a statement issued in Abuja, TRCN Registrar and Chief Executive Ronke Soyombo said individuals and groups were using the council’s name, logo and reputation to deceive members of the public and extort money.

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The council does not own or operate any other portal other than our official website.

The council said it had not authorized agents, consultants, third parties or staff members to collect payments or process registration, certification, licensing, employment or promotion outside its approved procedures and official channels. It said its official website was the only approved online platform for information about its programmes and services.

“The council does not own or operate any other portal other than our official website,” the statement said. TRCN also cautioned people against paying money into personal bank accounts. Certificates and licences obtained through unofficial procedures, it said, would not be recognized.

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Certificates and licences issued outside our official process are fake, invalid and not recognised by the council.

“Certificates and licences issued outside our official process are fake, invalid and not recognised by the council,” TRCN said. It urged anyone who had paid suspected fraudsters or received suspicious calls, messages or payment requests to contact security agencies and notify the council through its official channels.

The council said it had directed its legal advisers and relevant law-enforcement agencies to investigate and prosecute people found impersonating TRCN or defrauding the public. It described such activity as a criminal offence under Nigerian law.

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Such fraudulent acts constitute criminal offences and will be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.