Government’s seven-year ban on new universities applauded

The Nigerian government’s seven-year suspension on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education to optimally use the existing tertiary education institutions across the country has been applauded, with some commentators calling for the seven-year period to be extended.

Dr Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, said the moratorium was activated due to low or zero enrolment in several newly created higher institutions, leading to a waste of public resources and inefficiencies. The ban will be extended to private institutions.

The decision was approved on 13 August at the Federal Executive Council [cabinet] meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Alausa said that, with 72 federal universities, 108 state universities, 159 privately run universities and a high number of polytechnics and colleges of education, access to tertiary education is no longer a challenge in the country.

However, he said the sector was confronted with poor infrastructure and lopsided staffing, whereby some institutions had more staff than required, while others were grossly understaffed.

Waste of resources

“What we are witnessing today is duplication of new federal tertiary institutions, a significant reduction in the current capacity of each institution, and degradation of both physical infrastructure and manpower. If we do not act decisively, it will lead to marked declines in educational quality and undermine the international respect that Nigerian graduates command,” the minister said.

“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. For the 2024-26 academic sessions, about 2.1 million young Nigerians applied to our tertiary institutions. However, 199 universities had fewer than 99 applicants, and, remarkably, 34 universities had zero candidates applying at all.

“This worrying trend repeats itself in polytechnics and colleges of education, too. In fact, 295 polytechnics had fewer than 99 applicants, and 219 colleges of education suffered similar fates, with 64 colleges receiving no applicants at all.

“[A total of] 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board last year, with 34 recording zero applications,” the minister noted.

Quality improvements envisaged

Alausa explained that the moratorium would enable the government to channel resources into upgrading the existing schools and hiring qualified staff, warning that, if left unchecked, poorly equipped institutions could lead to churning out ‘half-baked’ graduates, thereby eroding the value of Nigerian degrees internationally 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 added.

However, the minister stated that nine new privately owned universities whose applications had been pending for over six years were approved after a rigorous review that halted over 350 inactive private university applications, noting that “moving forward, the moratorium also applies to new private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, ensuring no additional institutions are approved unless they comply with the new standards”.

Ban long overdue, says union

Professor Christopher Piwuna, the national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, told University World News the moratorium was long overdue, and the period should have been longer than seven years to ensure an overhaul of issues stifling the effective operations of higher educational institutions.

He said: “This is what we have been advocating for the past 10 years or so. [The] proliferation of universities, whereby the current institutions are underfunded, has become a problem. So, the government’s action is commendable.

“We met with the minister of education some days ago, and he actually lamented the number of bills (legislative proposals) on the establishment of universities waiting for action.

“We wish the moratorium was for a much longer period than seven years. We wish it were for 10 to 15 years, so that we can get our acts right with the current institutions, fund them adequately and ensure that we get quality.”

According to him, the moratorium period would also be a good opportunity to look at the sector’s human resources, students, and admissions, in the context of what courses are relevant.

Professor Ekuh Abdullahi, a former chairman of the admissions committee at the University of Ilorin in Kwara State, said the establishment of new government-run universities was often politically motivated and expressed concerns that the ban could be lifted by another administration before the period elapses.

“It is a shame that we are establishing universities that have no concrete aims and objectives. We keep establishing universities based on politics, without consultation. We are just producing universities without quality products,” he said.

“Our existing institutions have to be properly equipped and well staffed. The seven-year ban is in the right direction, but don’t be surprised if another president comes and establishes new universities.”