The UN General Assembly has approved the merger of two United Nations learning and training bodies, creating a new institution designed to strengthen support for both member states and the UN system itself.
In a resolution adopted on Thursday, the 193-member Assembly, including Nigeria, endorsed the integration of the UN System Staff College (UNSSC) into the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
They also approved the establishment of the UN Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI) from January 2027.
The decision is part of the wider UN80 Initiative, which aims to make the United Nations more coherent, effective and responsive to today’s challenges.
The new institute will combine UNITAR’s work helping governments, diplomats and public institutions build skills and capacity with UNSSC’s expertise in training, leadership development and knowledge-sharing for UN personnel.
“Member States and the United Nations system are facing increasingly complex and interconnected challenges.
“The UN must continue to evolve, building stronger capabilities, fostering innovation, and enhancing institutional effectiveness to turn global commitments into tangible results,” said Michelle Gyles-McDonough, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNITAR.
The merger will create a single platform for learning and capability development, making it easier for member states, UN entities and partners to access expertise and support while reducing duplication and fragmentation.
Overall, the measure better equips the UN system to adapt to a rapidly changing world.
“By integrating UNSSC’s and UNITAR’s expertise in providing training for the UN system and Member States respectively, the new entity will be better positioned to provide a stronger, more coherent capability development function,” Miguel Panadero, Acting Director of UNSSC, said.
Addressing correspondents at UN Headquarters later in the day, spokesman Stéphane Dujarric said the Secretary-General welcomed the Assembly’s decision.
“The Secretary-General welcomes the decision, which recognises that capability development, continuous learning and innovation are not ancillary functions, but strategic drivers of the UN’s effectiveness, reform and impact for Member States,” Dujarric said.
“The UN chief invites Member States, UN entities, partners and all stakeholders to join in shaping the new entity’s future and strengthening its contribution to a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient world,” he added.
The transition will take place in phases through the end of 2026 to ensure continuity of programmes, partnerships and services. Until then, UNITAR and UNSSC will continue operating under their existing arrangements.
The new institute will be headquartered in Geneva, while Turin will continue serving as a UN learning campus and centre for leadership development. Existing offices and operations in Bonn, Hiroshima, Madrid and New York will also continue.
The merger represents one of the latest concrete actions taken by member states under the UN80 Initiative, reflecting efforts to build a more agile and future-focused United Nations equipped to meet evolving global needs.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has revealed how examination questions were allegedly obtained for N3,000 before the conduct of the National Examinations Council examinations, describing the level of examination malpractice in the country as “mind-boggling.”
Alausa made the revelation on Thursday at a meeting with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools and other stakeholders in the education sector, where he warned parents, teachers, proprietors, principals, invigilators and students against practices capable of undermining the integrity of public examinations.
The minister said examination malpractice had, for years, been tolerated in Nigeria, creating an unfair system in which students who prepared genuinely for examinations were disadvantaged by those who gained access to leaked questions.
According to him, the situation was particularly dangerous because it could push honest students into malpractice as they sought to compete with candidates who had access to examination materials before the tests.
Alausa said, “It’s sad. Before she (Minister of State for Education) and I came, the acceptance of examination malpractice, cheating and examination leakages in this country was mind-boggling, and the country accepted it. It was a nightmare,” adding that the “danger was that the good students would also become bad.”
The minister, while recounting his experience in the fight against examination malpractice, alleged that examination questions had previously been made available for sale before candidates sat for the examinations.
He said, “The Registrar of NECO at the time had a name. His name was (Ibrahim) Wushishi. You would go to Wushishi… I didn’t know that Wushishi meant going to the dark website.
“They bought his question for N3,000. That was it. Before the examination. They called him Wushishi and bought the questions for N3,000 before the examination.”
Alausa also recalled his experience during the 2025 examination period, saying he was regularly sent examination questions allegedly obtained before candidates sat for the papers.
He said the development forced officials to verify the questions with examination authorities, sometimes confirming that the questions being circulated were actually the ones scheduled for the day.
He said, “During that examination period, during the hardest time of my life, I was always worried, waking up. I would wake up to her text. She would send questions to me… She would say, ‘I just got this question.’
“It could be English or Chemistry. I was always waking up with trepidation every morning, doing work. I would send it to the HNO and ask, ‘HNO, is this correct?’ And the answer I got was, ‘Unfortunately, that’s the question we’re doing today.’
“So, that was a more aggressive intervention because we were seeing the question and confirming from the other side.”
The minister said the revelations demonstrated that examination malpractice was not simply a student problem, insisting that the wider education ecosystem must take responsibility for curbing the practice.
He noted that parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals all had roles to play in preventing candidates from gaining unfair access to examination materials.
Alausa said, “You might be in that isolated school, but the school system is also involved. In fact, I don’t blame the students that much. Any child can be bad.
“But when we have an ecosystem where parents, schools, teachers, invigilators and principals are in full connivance, the students are the smallest players. The people who should put the deterrents in place are the ones involved.”
He warned that the Federal Government would strengthen measures to protect the integrity of public examinations and ensure that academic qualifications reflected genuine learning and merit.
The minister said the reforms were part of President Bola Tinubu’s broader efforts to restore standards and reposition Nigeria’s education system.
He said, “This is a country with the rule of law. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is transforming this country in a way that’s never been transformed before. This is Nigeria’s renaissance that we’re building to be sustainable into the future.”
He added that the country had for too long tolerated practices that undermined its education system, but said the Tinubu administration was determined to reverse the trend.
The Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad, also called on private school proprietors and other stakeholders to support the reforms, noting that stronger examination controls could initially expose weaknesses in students’ actual preparation.
Ahmad explained that some students who appeared to perform exceptionally well in internal examinations might have become accustomed to accessing leaked questions ahead of external examinations.
She said the introduction of serialised examination questions would make it more difficult for candidates to rely on leaked materials, while encouraging genuine preparation.
The minister urged schools to complete their curricula on schedule and promote consistent study among students, assuring private education stakeholders that the Federal Ministry of Education would continue to engage them during the implementation of the reforms.
The latest warning comes amid longstanding concerns over examination malpractice in Nigeria, including question-paper leakages, impersonation, collusion and unauthorised assistance to candidates.
The Federal Government’s renewed emphasis on examination integrity is aimed at ensuring that results from public examinations provide a credible assessment of students’ knowledge and abilities, while protecting candidates who prepare and compete fairly.
What began as online mockery of a graduating student of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, on Thursday turned into a N14m support fund after Nigerians learnt of the hardship he endured to complete his university education.
Madumere Felix Nwachikerendu, popularly known on X as @Felix_the_SUG and nicknamed “the Peanut Seller”, became the subject of ridicule on August 31, 2026, after photographs of him during his final-year project defence were posted on the social media platform.
The photographs, posted by an X user, @vector_olal, with the caption, “I just did my final year project defense”, attracted widespread attention and millions of views, with some users mocking Felix’s appearance, clothing and delayed graduation.
However, the narrative changed after Mercy Ninian, an X user who said she knew Felix, revealed the circumstances behind his academic journey.
Ninian disclosed that Felix had struggled with extreme financial difficulties while studying History at AE-FUNAI, forcing him to engage in various menial activities to survive and continue his education.
She said Felix fetched water, washed the clothes of other students, hawked peanuts and other items and sometimes slept in classrooms.
According to her, Felix was unable to pay his school fees when he was initially admitted into the university and subsequently struggled academically, eventually leading to his withdrawal after he could not meet the required CGPA.
Rather than abandoning his education, she said he rewrote the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board examination and returned to the university to continue his studies.
Ninian wrote, “If you know him, you won’t catch cruise with him .. this boy will fetch water, wash other students clothes , hawk peanuts , sleep in classrooms.. cos he wasn’t able to pay his school fees the first time he got admission and couldn’t meet up with the cgpa..the school withdrawed him .. still he wrote jamb and came back .. kudos to Felix fr.”
Her post attracted significant attention and prompted other people who knew Felix to share their experiences with him, including a former roommate who reportedly housed him for months during his first year.
Felix himself subsequently responded to the post that had mocked his project defence, explaining that his delayed graduation was not a result of laziness or lack of seriousness.
He said he was originally expected to graduate with his set in the History Department in 2023 but fell behind and refused to give up.
The photo of Felix which went viral. Photo: X
Felix wrote, “You can laugh at the picture, but you don’t know the story behind it. I didn’t graduate with my set in the History Department in 2023 not because I was lazy or unserious, but u chose to make mockery of me. You’re laughing at someone who fell behind but refused to give up.”
As the story gained traction, Felix confirmed his identity and joined the growing effort to direct support towards him.
The development received a major boost when popular X user, Wisdom Obi-Dickson popularly known as Sir Dickson Wizarab, responded to Ninian’s account of Felix’s struggles and urged Nigerians to support him.
Wizarab described Felix as someone the public could get behind and disclosed that he had personally made an initial donation of N100,000 .
He wrote, “Thank you, Mercy. This is someone we can get behind. I would like us to support him going forward. Today might just be his lucky day. This is his account number and I’ve sent mine. Raise am.”
The appeal triggered a rapid wave of donations from Nigerians on X.
Within hours, Ninian shared an update showing that Felix had received more than N4m, prompting further calls for people to support him.
Reacting to the development, Wizarab wrote, “He has gotten over N4million. Keep raising it for him.”
The amount continued to rise as the story spread across social media, with subsequent updates putting the donations at more than N5m and eventually above N10m.
By Thursday, Wizarab announced that the fundraising had reached N14m.
He wrote, “I just want to thank everyone for your kindnesses and the trust. What began as a mockery turned out to be a miracle. Thank you for your eternal show of support. Together we raised the sum of N14m for him. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”
He added that @Skolex5 would guide Felix through financial investment to ensure that his finances were properly secured.
Felix responded by thanking Wizarab and the people who supported him, saying he would later make a video to formally appreciate them.
“Thank you so much sir, I’ll still make a proper video and say a proper thank you,” he wrote.
Screenshot of Felix’s account balance at 14m
Meanwhile, Felix has cautioned members of the public against spreading false reports about him amid the attention generated by his story.
He specifically debunked claims that he had been attacked and injured, saying he was safe and that nobody had visited his home to attack him.
“This is fake, I wasn’t attacked and nobody came to my house. Would appreciate you don’t use me or my situation to chase clout pls thank you. I wouldn’t want to misinform the public and well meaning Nigerians, I’m safe and nobody attacked me,” he said.
Felix also reflected on his journey and attributed the turn of events to his faith and the promise he made to his late mother.
He disclosed that he designed a poster on the day of his sign-out as a tribute to his mother, whom he had promised never to disappoint, engage in illegal activities or bring disgrace to.
He wrote, “I did this poster on the day of my sign out as a tribute to my mother whom I promised to never fail, never to do illegal things and never to bring disgrace to.”
Reflecting on the support he subsequently received, Felix said he felt closer to God and believed that keeping the promise he made to his mother contributed to the transformation in his circumstances.
He urged people reading his story to remain upright and treat others well, saying good deeds would eventually yield results.
“Now you reading this post, just be clean and never go against God’s wish. Be good to people. If you don’t see the result now, you will surely see the result later,” he said.
Felix also resisted attempts by some social media users to compare his story with that of another person who had also attracted attention online.
He said he was not competing with anyone and had no interest in determining who was more successful or deserving of public support.
“Stop the comparison. I’m not in any competition with anyone. I don’t know him from anywhere but looking at how long he’s been here, he’s a great man,” Felix said.
He added, “I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another. I’m here cause God wants me to be here and not to compete on who is the highest or whom to choose over another.”
The campaign has since transformed Felix’s viral moment from one centred on ridicule over his appearance and delayed graduation into a story of perseverance and public support.
From hawking peanuts and other items, washing clothes, fetching water and reportedly sleeping in classrooms while struggling to remain in school, Felix has now received N14m in donations following the exposure of the circumstances surrounding his journey through university.
Candidates seeking admission into Nigerian tertiary institutions will now pay N4,000 only once to verify their West African Senior School Certificate Examination O’Level results, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the West African Examinations Council have said.
The clarification was contained in a joint press statement issued by JAMB and WAEC on Tuesday, following consultations on the recently introduced system allowing candidates to upload and verify their O’Level results remotely.
Under the new arrangement, candidates whose admissions are regulated and coordinated by JAMB are required to verify their WAEC results once through JAMB, after which the outcome will be made available to the tertiary institution where they are seeking admission.
The two examination bodies stressed that candidates would not be required to pay another verification fee to their chosen institutions.
The joint statement said, “Candidates are to pay N4,000 only, once, for the verification of their WASSCE O’ Level results on the specified platform and not through their desired institutions.”
JAMB and WAEC further directed tertiary institutions to utilise the verified results transmitted by JAMB for admission screening, processing and other administrative purposes.
According to the statement, “Tertiary institutions are to utilise the verified results shared by JAMB for screening, processing candidate admission and other administrative purposes. Candidates shall not be required to pay for another verification.”
The development followed JAMB’s recent introduction of a system that enables candidates to upload and verify their O’Level results from home or any internet-enabled location, eliminating the need to routinely visit JAMB-approved Computer-Based Test centres solely for the exercise.
JAMB had explained that the new arrangement initially commenced with WAEC results and was designed to enable the board to verify candidates’ results directly with the examination bodies.
The initiative was presented as part of efforts to make admission-related services easier, faster, safer and more convenient for candidates.
With Tuesday’s clarification, however, the two bodies have now established that the verification conducted through JAMB will be a one-off exercise, with the verified result available for subsequent use by the relevant institution.
WAEC has also authorised JAMB to share the outcome of the verification with the tertiary institutions concerned.
The joint statement said, “WAEC has agreed to permit JAMB to share the outcome of the verification exercise with the relevant tertiary institutions” for admission and related administrative purposes.
The agencies said the arrangement was intended to prevent candidates from being subjected to multiple verification exercises by different institutions after completing the process through JAMB.
They added that the policy would also reduce the financial and logistical burden associated with repeated verification.
“Candidates who have successfully verified their WASSCE O’ Level result through the Verification Service platform will not be required to repeat the same verification exercise,” the statement said.
The bodies urged candidates to take advantage of the arrangement by completing their WASSCE O’Level verification through the JAMB-provided platform once, noting that the verified result would subsequently be utilised by the relevant institution.
The latest development comes as thousands of Nigerian youths continue to navigate the 2026/2027 tertiary admission process, with O’Level results remaining a critical component of admission screening and eligibility.
In the past, candidates have had to upload their O’Level results through approved channels and, in some cases, undertake additional verification processes required by individual institutions. JAMB’s new technology-driven approach is aimed at reducing such repeated processes and limiting visits to CBT centres.
The two examination bodies said the collaboration was also intended to strengthen the integrity of academic records and reduce opportunities for the presentation of fake or altered certificates during the admission process.
They stated, “This collaboration underscores the commitment of both JAMB and WAEC to putting the interests of candidates first, reducing unnecessary costs and simplifying the admission process while maintaining the integrity and security of candidates’ academic records.”
The agencies therefore advised candidates to ensure that they complete the verification through the designated JAMB platform and retain their verification information for the admission process.
The clarification effectively means that the N4,000 payment is not an annual or institution-by-institution charge, but a one-time payment for candidates covered by the JAMB admission process.
Before the new arrangement, O’Level result verification was largely fragmented, with candidates required to upload their WAEC, NECO or other O’Level results to the JAMB platform as part of the admission process, while individual tertiary institutions could impose additional screening and document-verification requirements.
WAEC also operated a separate result-verification system, meaning candidates could face further verification of academic credentials already submitted during the admission process.
This created additional costs, movement between institutions and JAMB-approved Computer-Based Test centres, and the possibility of repeated checks of the same result.
The new arrangement is designed to centralise the process, as candidates will pay N4,000 once to verify their WASSCE O’Level results through JAMB, after which the verification outcome will be made available to the relevant tertiary institution.
The institutions are expected to rely on the verified result and will not be permitted to demand another verification payment from candidates.
The two examination bodies said the “one verification, multiple uses” system would reduce costs, ease the admission process and spare candidates the stress of repeatedly visiting institutions or CBT centres.
