The Federal Government has placed a seven-year ban on establishing new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, in what it describes as a bold move to tackle falling standards and crumbling infrastructure in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa announced the moratorium on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Alausa said the suspension — which covers all categories of federal tertiary institutions — will curb duplication, eliminate waste, and allow government to concentrate resources on rehabilitating facilities, improving manpower, and expanding capacity in existing schools.
“Access to tertiary education is no longer Nigeria’s problem. The proliferation of institutions has stretched resources thin, leading to deteriorating infrastructure and declining graduate quality,” he warned.
The minister revealed alarming statistics:
- Nigeria currently has 72 public federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, plus hundreds of state and private institutions.
- In the 2024/2025 academic session, 199 universities recorded fewer than 100 applicants through JAMB, while 34 universities had zero applicants.
- 295 polytechnics also had fewer than 100 applicants, and 64 colleges of education attracted no applications.
He cited a federal university with fewer than 800 students but 1,200 staff as an example of waste and inefficiency, and noted that some northern universities have fewer than 2,000 students.
According to Alausa, the government’s priority is now to upgrade infrastructure, train lecturers, and ensure Nigerian graduates remain globally competitive — in line with President Tinubu’s directive to deliver world-class education.
The minister thanked the President for his “political will” in approving the policy, adding that the FEC also granted approval for nine new private universities.
Addressing possible contradictions, he explained that these approvals were for long-standing applications, some pending for over six years due to delays at the National Universities Commission (NUC). Of the 551 applications he met on assumption of office, only 79 were still active after a review, and nine met all requirements.
Alausa disclosed that similar moratoriums will soon be extended to private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, to prevent quality from being sacrificed for expansion.
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