By our reporter
The Federal Government has placed a seven-year suspension on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, citing overstretched resources, under-utilised institutions, and declining academic standards.
Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the decision after the Federal Executive Council meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, chaired by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He explained that many institutions are operating far below capacity, with some federal universities having fewer than 2,000 students and others employing more staff than their total student population.
Data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) shows that in the 2024/2025 academic session, 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications, while 34 had no applicants at all. Similar trends were observed in polytechnics and colleges of education, further underlining the inefficiency in the system.
According to Dr. Alausa, the moratorium will allow the government to channel funding toward upgrading infrastructure, recruiting qualified staff, and improving capacity in existing institutions to ensure graduates are competitive at both national and global levels.
While the freeze applies to federal institutions, the council approved nine new private universities—applications that had been undergoing review by the National Universities Commission prior to this policy shift.
