The Federal Government has announced a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, citing overstretched resources, under-utilised institutions, and a worrying drop in academic quality.
The decision was approved during Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, following a presentation by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
Speaking to State House correspondents, Alausa revealed that Nigeria’s tertiary education challenge is no longer access but inefficiency, duplication, and poor infrastructure. He disclosed that several federal universities operate far below capacity, with some having fewer than 2,000 students.
“In one northern university, there are 1,200 staff serving fewer than 800 students. This is a waste of government resources,” he said.
The minister noted that 199 universities received fewer than 100 JAMB applications last year, with 34 recording zero applications. Among 295 polytechnics nationwide, many had fewer than 99 applicants, while 219 colleges of education also posted poor enrolment figures, including 64 with no applications at all.
Alausa warned that the unchecked proliferation of poorly subscribed institutions risked producing ill-prepared graduates, devaluing Nigerian degrees globally, and worsening unemployment.
“If we want to improve quality and not be a laughing stock globally, the pragmatic step is to pause the establishment of new federal institutions,” he said.
Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, alongside hundreds of state-owned and private tertiary institutions, as well as specialised schools in agriculture, health sciences, and nursing.
Despite the freeze, the minister confirmed that FEC approved nine new private universities during the meeting. He clarified that these applications had been pending for up to six years and underwent full evaluation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“When we assumed office, there were 551 applications for private universities. Many had been stuck due to inefficiencies at the NUC. We deactivated over 350 dormant applications and set stricter guidelines. Of the 79 active cases, nine met the criteria and were approved,” he said.
The moratorium also extends to new private polytechnics and colleges of education to curb under-enrolment. Alausa commended President Tinubu for supporting the reform, describing it as a “reset button” for Nigeria’s tertiary education.
“Mr President believes fervently in education and has given us the mandate to ensure every Nigerian has access to the highest quality of education comparable to anywhere in the world,” he added.
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