TRCN’s Digital Leap Amid Tech Portal Claims

The Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) is pushing forward with its ambitious digital transformation agenda, aiming to fully certify all teachers nationwide by 2027. This initiative seeks to streamline registration, enhance efficiency, and improve the overall professional landscape for educators. Despite facing challenges, including reported disruptions to its online portal, the TRCN registrar has underscored significant progress and expanded participation in its professional qualifying examinations.

Digital Reforms and Ambitious Targets

Since assuming office in May 2025, the Registrar and Chief Executive of TRCN, Dr. Ronke Soyombo, has spearheaded a series of reforms designed to modernize the council’s operations. These reforms are structured around short-term and long-term goals, encompassing 100-day, six-month, and two-year plans aimed at boosting efficiency and accessibility for teachers across the country.

A pivotal milestone in this digital drive was the launch of a new online portal on August 26, 2025. This platform was specifically developed to address long-standing grievances from teachers regarding delays in obtaining their certifications and licenses. The revamped system now allows candidates who undertake computer-based tests (CBTs) to receive their results within a week. Furthermore, successful candidates are promptly notified via SMS, guiding them on the subsequent steps required for their professional registration.

“So if you sit for our computer-based test within a week, we will print out the result, and we will also SMS to everyone to say, ‘Congratulations, you have passed the CBT exam. You may now proceed on our portal to the next line of action,” Dr. Soyombo explained during a press conference in Abuja.

Surging Participation in Examinations

The introduction of the digital portal has demonstrably led to a significant increase in teacher participation in TRCN examinations. In May 2025, approximately 13,000 candidates registered for the qualifying examination. By November of the same year, this number had nearly doubled, reaching 26,500. The upward trend continued into 2026, with over 11,761 candidates already registered for the May 2026 examination by January, and an additional 14,000 applicants submitting their credentials through the platform.

Dr. Soyombo highlighted the geographical distribution of this digital engagement, noting that Oyo State currently leads the nation in digital participation, followed closely by Enugu and Kwara states. “The best performing state at the moment for this forthcoming examination is Oyo State. Oyo State is showing that a lot of their teachers are very digital,” she stated.

Cumulatively, since the launch of the council’s digital platform in 2025, over 40 million teachers have reportedly registered, obtained licenses, and been certified nationwide. The digital reforms have also focused on improving access for educators in remote areas and for persons with disabilities, with assistive features integrated into the platform.

Challenges and Documentation Issues

Despite the notable progress, the TRCN acknowledges that challenges persist in the teacher registration process. A significant hurdle is the inability of many applicants to complete their registration due to documentation and technical issues. Dr. Soyombo pointed out common problems, such as candidates submitting outdated statements of results, some over a decade old, instead of official certificates, which are not accepted. Other applicants present unverifiable documents, such as generic “To Whom It May Concern” letters, making proper validation difficult.

Government Mandates and Future Certification Goals

The Federal Government has set a mandate requiring 75 percent of teachers in Nigeria to be TRCN-certified by the end of 2025, with the ultimate goal of achieving 100 percent certification by the end of 2027. This ambitious target necessitates close collaboration with various stakeholders, including private school associations, heads of public and private institutions, and Non-Governmental Organisation schools.

Dr. Soyombo emphasized that obtaining a TRCN license remains a mandatory requirement for all practicing teachers, with renewals due every three years to ensure the upholding of professional standards. “And every Nigerian teacher must have a license before they teach our children,” she asserted.

Strengthening Safeguards and Combating Malpractice

In its commitment to safeguarding students and enhancing the teaching profession, TRCN is implementing stricter measures. Plans are underway to establish a criminal record database for teachers in collaboration with security agencies. This initiative aims to prevent individuals with offenses, particularly those related to sexual offenses, from working with children. “If you are a criminal with a sexual offence, you can work in any other sector, but not with the children,” Dr. Soyombo stated.

Furthermore, TRCN is enhancing its examination monitoring through digital proctoring systems to curb malpractice. The council is also actively expanding partnerships with development agencies to garner support for its reform initiatives and to further improve teacher quality across Nigeria.

Contractual Disputes and Portal Functionality Concerns

Amidst the TRCN’s ongoing reform efforts, Teckplus Digital Solutions Ltd., the firm that initially developed the teacher portal, has raised concerns regarding alleged irregularities in the handling of the system following the termination of its contract. In a statement issued by its Chief Executive Officer, Patrick Adeneye, the company cited intimidation from TRCN officials and questioned the process by which its contract was terminated.

Reports have emerged on social media platforms detailing instances of glitches and inaccessibility of the TRCN portal. Users on Facebook groups dedicated to TRCN registration have shared their frustrations, with some reporting an inability to complete payment processes or access the portal for several days.

Teckplus Digital Solutions stated that it was contracted to develop a cloud-based teacher portal and a Mandatory Continuous Professional Development (MCPD) system. The company claims it went beyond the initial scope, delivering additional platforms at no extra cost and developing the TRCN corporate website as a goodwill gesture.

According to Teckplus, the portal remained fully functional until its contract was abruptly terminated on December 31, 2025. The company alleges that it was served a severance letter via WhatsApp on December 30, 2025, with no opportunity for a proper handover. Teckplus further claims that it handed over the complete backend source code to TRCN after its exit, suggesting this action contributed to the system’s subsequent issues. The firm also expressed concerns about TRCN’s decision to engage another company, Tedprime, for aspects of the project and noted that over 35 young professionals employed on the project were laid off following the contract termination.