President Bola Tinubu Approves Seven-Year Ban on New Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria
President Bola Tinubu has approved a seven-year moratorium on establishing new federal tertiary institutions, including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, across Nigeria. This decision was made during the Federal Executive Council meeting chaired by the president.
The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, announced that the move aims to address critical challenges within the sector, particularly the proliferation of federal institutions, which has shifted the focus from access to education to issues of declining infrastructure and manpower quality. “The problem is no longer access but the duplication of institutions, which has stretched resources thin,” Alausa stated.
The moratorium is expected to allow the government to strengthen existing institutions and improve educational standards nationwide. By redirecting resources toward upgrading existing institutions, improving infrastructure, increasing manpower, and expanding capacity, the government hopes to enhance the quality of education in Nigeria.
According to Alausa, some federal universities in certain northern states have fewer than 2,000 students, despite billions spent annually on their upkeep. Moreover, 295 polytechnics had fewer than 100 applicants, and 64 colleges of education recorded no applicants at all. This stark reality underscores the need for the moratorium.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has also weighed in on the issue, condemning the mass establishment of universities in the country, describing it as “reckless and excessive.” The union’s concerns highlight the potential consequences of unchecked institutional proliferation on educational quality ³.
The seven-year ban is designed to enable the government to concentrate on rehabilitating decayed infrastructure, hiring qualified lecturers, and expanding the capacity of existing institutions. By doing so, the administration hopes to improve the overall quality of education in Nigeria and ensure that Nigerian graduates remain competitive and respected globally.
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