FG bans creation of new tertiary institutions for seven years; approves licensing of nine new private universities

The Federal Government has announced a seven-year suspension on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.

The move is aimed at addressing the growing number of under-utilized institutions, stretched resources, and declining academic standards.

The decision was endorsed at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, following a presentation by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa.

But despite the moratorium, FEC approved the licensing of nine new private universities.

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Alausa said that the primary challenge in Nigeria’s tertiary education sector has shifted from limited access to inefficiencies, infrastructure deficits, inadequate staffing, and low student enrolment across numerous institutions.

“Some federal universities operate well below capacity, with enrolment figures under 2,000. In one northern university, there are 1,200 staff members for fewer than 800 students. That is a gross misallocation of government resources,” he said.

Alausa revealed that 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) last year, with 34 institutions receiving no applications at all. Among 295 polytechnics, many attracted fewer than 99 applicants, while 64 out of 219 colleges of education recorded zero enrolments.

He warned that unchecked expansion of tertiary institutions without adequate planning or demand could produce poorly trained graduates, damage the credibility of Nigerian qualifications, and deepen the unemployment crisis.

According to the minister, the suspension will allow government efforts to be focused on improving infrastructure, recruiting qualified personnel, and enhancing the capacity of existing institutions.

“If we’re serious about raising standards and avoiding international ridicule, the logical step is to halt the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions,” Alausa stated.

Nigeria currently operates 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, in addition to hundreds of states- and privately-owned tertiary institutions, as well as specialised colleges in fields such as agriculture, health, and nursing.

Addressing the approval of nine new universities, Alausa explained that these were private institutions whose applications had been pending for as long as six years. They were approved only after undergoing full assessment by the National Universities Commission (NUC).

“When we took office, there were 551 pending applications for private universities. Many were inactive due to inefficiencies in the NUC. We deactivated over 350 dormant applications and implemented new, stricter criteria. Of the remaining 79 active requests, nine met the standard and were approved,” he said.

He added that significant investments—running into billions of naira—had already been made in infrastructure by the promoters of these institutions.

The minister confirmed that the moratorium also applies to new private polytechnics and colleges of education, in a bid to curb under-enrolment and ensure the sustainability of existing institutions.

Alausa praised President Tinubu for endorsing the policy shift, describing it as a necessary reset for Nigeria’s higher education sector.

“The President is deeply committed to education and has given us the mandate to ensure that every Nigerian can access world-class education comparable to the best systems globally,” he said.