The Lagos State Government has intensified efforts to reposition its tertiary education sector through international collaborations, digital infrastructure expansion, scholarship support and strategic reforms aimed at producing globally competitive graduates.
Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr Tolani Sule, disclosed this during the ongoing ministerial press briefing commemorating the third year of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office.
Sule said the state government had strengthened partnerships with institutions in the United States, United Kingdom and Malaysia to improve academic standards, research capacity and global competitiveness across Lagos-owned tertiary institutions.
According to him, the government also expanded digital learning infrastructure, upgraded laboratories, constructed hostels and lecture theatres, and improved transport facilities within campuses to enhance teaching, learning and students’ mobility.
The commissioner disclosed that the Lagos State Scholarship Board disbursed over N504 million in bursaries and scholarships to 4,394 beneficiaries during the period under review.
He added that the board introduced a Special Scholarship for Inclusion targeted at supporting persons with disabilities and other vulnerable residents.
Sule noted that the Lagos State College of Nursing and the Lagos State College of Health Technology also recorded improvements in hostel accommodation, ICT infrastructure, entrepreneurship training and healthcare education.
He explained that the state government’s sustained investment in tertiary education is designed to address manpower shortages in healthcare, technology and public service while positioning Lagos as a leading hub for innovation and workforce development in West Africa.
The commissioner further revealed that the state, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, is advancing legislation for the establishment of a University of Medicine and Health Sciences to tackle the growing shortage of healthcare professionals in Lagos and Nigeria.
According to him, the proposed institution would significantly increase the training of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals and help reduce the migration of medical practitioners abroad.
Sule also disclosed that the ministry is collaborating with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, to combat illicit drug use among students in state-owned tertiary institutions.
On admissions, the commissioner said Lagos State-owned institutions would maintain a minimum admission benchmark of 185 for the 2026/2027 academic session in order to preserve academic standards.
In the area of adult literacy and non-formal education, Sule said the Lagos State Agency for Mass Education expanded vocational training centres, strengthened literacy programmes and increased stipends for facilitators across communities.
He added that the Lagos State Library Board also recorded increased readership, expansion of solar-powered libraries and sustained reading advocacy campaigns in public secondary schools.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to educational development, Sule said Lagos remained focused on transforming its tertiary institutions into centres of global excellence capable of driving innovation, economic growth and sustainable development.
“We are committed to building institutions that can compete globally while producing graduates equipped to solve local and international challenges,” he said.