The Federal Executive Council (FEC), chaired by President Bola Tinubu on Wednesday, has approved a five-year moratorium on the creation of new federal tertiary institutions across Nigeria.
The ban, which applies to universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, is aimed at curbing the proliferation of institutions and addressing declining standards in infrastructure and manpower.
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, explained that the current challenge is no longer access to federal tertiary education but the duplication of institutions, which has weakened existing ones. “We are seeing unnecessary duplication, reduced institutional capacity, and deterioration of infrastructure and manpower. If unchecked, this will erode the quality of education and the global regard for Nigerian graduates,” he said.
Alausa outlined the current landscape: Nigeria has 72 federal universities, 108 state universities, and 159 private universities, alongside polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics, and specialised institutions. He noted that demand is not matching supply — in the 2024–2026 sessions, 199 universities had fewer than 99 applicants, 34 had none at all, and similar low application rates plagued polytechnics and colleges of education.
He cited an example of a northern federal university with fewer than 800 students but over 1,200 staff, calling it unsustainable. According to him, the government’s priority is to channel resources into upgrading existing institutions — boosting infrastructure, manpower, and capacity — rather than creating new ones.
“We must enhance the quality and capacity of our current institutions so Nigerian graduates can retain and improve their global standing,” he said, thanking President Tinubu for his commitment to education reform.
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