No new federal tertiary schools for now
President Bola Tinubu’s government has placed a seven-year ban on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.
The decision was made during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, which was presided over by the president himself.
Why the ban?
According to Education Minister Tunji Alausa, Nigeria doesn’t have a problem with access to tertiary education anymore. Instead, he said the real issue is how existing institutions are managed.
“There are already numerous tertiary institutions across the country,” Alausa told journalists. “What we’re seeing now is a strain on infrastructure and qualified personnel due to the constant duplication of institutions.”
Quality over quantity
Alausa warned that if the government doesn’t act now, the quality of education could drop even further—potentially affecting how Nigerian degrees are viewed internationally.
“If we do not act decisively, it will lead to marked declines in educational quality and undermine the international respect that Nigerian graduates command,” he said.
The freeze will last for seven years, during which time the focus will shift to improving standards, resources, and personnel at existing federal schools.
Headline:
FG puts 7-year freeze on new federal universities and polytechnics
No new federal schools until 2032
The Federal Government has announced a seven-year moratorium on the creation of new federal tertiary institutions—including universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
The decision came out of Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, chaired by President Bola Tinubu.
Too many schools, not enough quality
Education Minister Tunji Alausa said the issue in Nigeria’s education sector isn’t access—it’s quality. He pointed to overcrowding, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of qualified educators as major concerns.
“There are already numerous institutions across the country,” Alausa said. “The duplication of tertiary institutions has stretched resources too thin.”
Focus shifts to fixing what’s broken
The government now plans to focus on improving the schools that already exist, rather than adding new ones.
“If we do not act decisively,” Alausa warned, “it will lead to marked declines in educational quality and undermine the international respect that Nigerian graduates command.”
The freeze will stay in place until at least 2032.
