The Federal Government has suspended the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for the next seven years, citing the proliferation of under-utilised institutions, waste of resources, and declining academic standards.
The decision, approved at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, followed a memo presented by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.
Alausa said the challenge in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector is no longer access but duplication of institutions, inadequate facilities, poor staffing, and low enrolment.
He revealed that several federal universities operate below capacity, with some enrolling fewer than 2,000 students. “In one northern university, there are 1,200 staff serving 800 students. This is a waste of government resources,” he said.
Data presented showed that 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications through JAMB last year, with 34 recording none.
Of the country’s 295 polytechnics, many had fewer than 99 applicants, while 64 of the 219 colleges of education had zero applications.
The minister explained that the suspension will allow government to upgrade facilities, hire qualified staff, and strengthen existing institutions.
Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, alongside numerous state-owned and private institutions.
FEC, however, approved nine new universities at the meeting — all private institutions whose applications had been pending for up to six years.
Reporting by Zachaeus Babalola