The Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, has issued a stern warning to Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education across Nigeria, cautioning them against establishing satellite campuses without proper authorization.
Institutions that bypass regulatory approval will face sanctions.
This directive comes in response to a rising trend of unregulated and unjustified satellite campus creation by federal tertiary institutions.
Dr. Alausa noted that many of these campuses are established without sufficient academic, strategic, or infrastructural support, calling their legitimacy and effectiveness into question.
“The unauthorized spread of satellite campuses compromises the integrity, quality, and sustainability of Nigeria’s higher education system,” the Minister said.
He criticized some Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts for diverting limited institutional resources away from improving existing campuses in favor of setting up inadequately equipped satellite campuses—a move he described as counterproductive.
To address the issue, the Ministry has issued a formal directive to the Executive Secretaries of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
The directive mandates that no satellite campus is to be established without the express approval of the Minister of Education.
Any institution found in violation will face appropriate disciplinary action.
The Ministry reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining high standards in the country’s tertiary education system.
It emphasized that all institutional expansion must be strategically planned, adequately resourced, and aligned with national development goals.