FG Imposes 7-Year Ban on Establishing New Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a seven-year moratorium on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, in a move aimed at addressing inefficiencies and underutilisation in the nation’s tertiary education sector.

The decision, announced on Wednesday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, followed the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to Dr. Alausa, access to higher education is no longer the main challenge in Nigeria; rather, the duplication of institutions has overstretched available resources and compromised educational quality.

Currently, Nigeria operates 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education. However, many of these institutions face declining enrollment. For example, one northern federal university has 1,200 staff catering to fewer than 800 students. Data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) revealed that 199 universities received fewer than 100 applicants in the last admission cycle, while 34 recorded zero applications. In a similar trend, 64 colleges of education had no applicants at all.

Dr. Alausa explained that the freeze will enable the government to focus on revitalising existing tertiary institutions by upgrading facilities, recruiting qualified academic and administrative staff, and increasing their capacity to admit more students. This strategy aligns with the administration’s broader reforms to enhance the quality of education and protect the global reputation of Nigerian graduates.

While the moratorium affects only federal-owned tertiary institutions, the FEC also approved the establishment of nine new private universities whose applications had undergone rigorous evaluation. However, the government has maintained a similar freeze on the creation of new private polytechnics and colleges of education to curb the spread of under-subscribed institutions.

In addition to the moratorium, the Federal Government is reviewing the Polytechnic Act to empower polytechnics to award Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) degrees, addressing the long-standing imbalance between university and polytechnic education in Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to delivering world-class education, stating that the focus should shift from quantity to quality. By consolidating and strengthening existing institutions, the government aims to produce highly skilled graduates capable of competing in the global labour market and reducing the risk of unemployment.

For more details on the current state of Nigeria’s higher education sector, visit the official Federal Ministry of Education website.

Vanguard