Edo State’s Ministry of Education has taken a giant leap in revolutionizing student certification by launching EdoCert, a digital platform that ensures seamless generation and verification of academic credentials. Powered by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and implemented by Data Science Nigeria, EdoCert promises to improve learning outcomes while addressing issues of fraud, accessibility, and administrative inefficiencies.
The Edo State Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, has launched EdoCert, a pioneering digital platform designed to revolutionize how academic credentials are generated and verified for students across the state. The initiative, unveiled on September 4, 2024, aims to streamline administrative processes, improve efficiency, and ensure secure and cost-effective access to certificates.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Joan Oviawe, expressed excitement over this breakthrough, noting that certificates issued from 2019 onwards will now be available online. “This platform is a significant milestone in our commitment to improving education delivery across Edo State. Students will no longer face delays in obtaining their certificates, and verification by institutions or employers will be instantaneous,” she said. EdoCert will use unique identifiers and digital signatures, ensuring the authenticity of credentials, while the integration with Nigeria’s National Identity Number (NIN) strengthens the platform’s security features.
In addition to reducing operational costs, EdoCert eradicates manual errors and fraud that have previously plagued certificate issuance processes. Its scalability enables students from remote or underserved communities to access their academic records without the burden of traveling to education offices. “EdoCert is a model for other African states and countries looking to adopt tech-driven solutions to streamline education management,” Oviawe added.
Dr. Bayo Adekanmbi, CEO of Data Science Nigeria, lauded the initiative as a digital public good that will set the pace for other states. “EdoCert eliminates the risk of unverifiable credentials, which have historically led to missed academic opportunities and delays in scholarships. It also enhances the credibility of the learning system by providing real-time verification for educational institutions and employers.”
The platform is expected to serve over 100,000 students in its first year of operation, further simplifying access to education credentials and positioning Edo State as a tech pioneer. As more students across Nigeria clamor for digital solutions, EdoCert offers an innovative pathway for transforming educational management, providing not only certificates but a long-lasting infrastructure that supports development and digital inclusivity.
EdoCert is set to become a blueprint for how states can modernize educational systems in Africa, potentially saving millions of naira annually in administrative costs, fraud prevention, and certificate issuance delays.
