The Federal Government has imposed a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, citing concerns over the rapid growth of under-utilized institutions, overstretched resources, and declining academic standards.
The decision, approved at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu, followed a presentation by the Minister of Education, Maruf Alausa.
Speaking to State House correspondents after the meeting on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Alausa noted that the major challenge facing Nigeria’s tertiary education system is no longer access, but rather inefficient duplication, poor infrastructure, inadequate staffing, and dwindling enrolment in existing institutions.
“Several federal universities operate far below capacity, with some having fewer than 2,000 students. In one northern university, there are 1,200 staff serving fewer than 800 students. This is a waste of government resources,” the minister stated.
He added that last year, 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications through JAMB, while 34 recorded zero applications.
Out of 295 polytechnics across the country, many received fewer than 99 applicants, and among the 219 colleges of education, 64 had no applications at all.
Alausa warned that the unchecked proliferation of poorly subscribed institutions could result in the production of ill-prepared graduates, reduce the global value of Nigerian degrees, and contribute to rising unemployment.
He explained that the moratorium will allow the government to focus on improving infrastructure, recruiting qualified personnel, and expanding the capacity of existing institutions to deliver quality education.
“If we want to improve quality and not be a laughing stock globally, the pragmatic step is to pause the establishment of new federal institutions,” he said.
Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education. These operate alongside hundreds of state-owned and private tertiary institutions, as well as specialised schools such as colleges of agriculture, health sciences, and nursing.
Despite the moratorium, the minister confirmed that nine new universities were approved at the meeting.
He clarified that these are private universities whose applications had been pending for up to six years and had undergone complete evaluation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
“When we assumed office, there were 551 applications for private universities. Many had been stuck due to inefficiencies at the NUC. We deactivated over 350 dormant applications and set new, stricter guidelines. Of the 79 active cases, nine met the criteria and were approved,” Alausa explained, adding that billions of naira had already been invested in infrastructure for these institutions.
He also stated that the moratorium extends to private polytechnics and colleges of education, to prevent further cases of under-enrolment.
Alausa praised President Tinubu for supporting the reform, calling it a reset button for Nigeria’s tertiary education system.
“Mr President believes fervently in education and has given us the mandate to ensure every Nigerian has access to the highest quality of education comparable to anywhere in the world,” he said.
