Suspend institution of recent federal tertiary establishments for 7 years, FG urges Senate

The Federal Government has urged the National Assembly to droop the approval of payments looking for to determine new federal universities, polytechnics and schools of schooling for seven years, warning that continued proliferation of tertiary establishments may worsen funding challenges and undermine tutorial requirements.

The enchantment was contained in a November 2, 2026 memo by the Federal Ministry of Education, addressed to the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio.

The memo, marked FME/DUE/NASS/153/Vol.1/147 and sighted in Abuja, urged the Senate management and different lawmakers to train restraint in contemplating payments for extra federal tertiary establishments according to the Federal Government’s seven-year moratorium.

Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, stated the Federal Executive Council (FEC), at its assembly on August 13, 2025, accepted the moratorium to deal with the proliferation of public tertiary establishments, duplication of educational programmes, under-utilisation of amenities and declining authorities capability to adequately fund the sector.

FG prioritises current establishments

Alausa stated Nigeria’s speedy schooling problem was not merely increasing entry however strengthening current establishments by improved funding, infrastructure, personnel and fashionable instructing and analysis amenities.

“The Federal Government’s position is that the immediate challenge confronting the tertiary education sector is not merely the expansion of access, but the urgent need to strengthen existing institutions,” he said.

He defined that the moratorium would permit authorities to consolidate current investments and enhance the standard and carrying capability of established establishments.

The minister warned that current federal universities, polytechnics and schools of schooling had been already combating insufficient lecture halls, overcrowded school rooms, inadequate laboratories, shortages of certified personnel, lodging deficits and deteriorating amenities.

Alausa raises concern over funding gaps

The minister recognized excellent authorities commitments to school revitalisation as a serious cause for halting the institution of further establishments.

He disclosed that out of the N1.3 trillion Federal Government-ASUU revitalisation dedication for 2013–2018, solely N250 billion was reportedly launched between 2013 and 2021.

He additionally stated that of the extra N150 billion accepted in 2025 for Needs Assessment Intervention, solely N50 billion was initially launched.

“These funding gaps demonstrate the difficulty of meeting existing obligations and raise legitimate concerns about the capacity to sustain additional institutions without corresponding and guaranteed budgetary provisions,” he said.

Alausa cited Ekiti and Imo states as examples of the difficulties related to establishing a number of tertiary establishments with out sustainable funding preparations.

He recalled that three state-owned universities in Ekiti had been consolidated into one establishment, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, in 2011.

He additionally famous that some state governments had approached the Federal Government to take over their universities due to monetary difficulties.

Government warns towards institutional proliferation

The minister stated establishing new establishments concerned long-term monetary obligations, together with land acquisition, infrastructure, personnel recruitment, tools, utilities and recurrent expenditure.

He cautioned that establishments established with out enough feasibility research and sustainable funding may change into liabilities, requiring expensive restructuring, mergers or closure by subsequent administrations.

Alausa additionally cited worldwide experiences in Australia, Finland, Japan, the United States and South Africa, the place institutional mergers and consolidation had been adopted to deal with funding constraints, duplication and administrative inefficiencies.

He argued that Nigeria ought to prioritise institutional viability, tutorial high quality and environment friendly utilisation of obtainable assets relatively than repeatedly rising the variety of tertiary establishments.

NELFUND, TETFund commitments require funding

The minister additional recognized competing calls for on authorities assets, together with interventions by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), vocational and expertise acquisition programmes, and the implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Tools Allowance (CONTTA).

He stated these programmes required sustained funding and shouldn’t be undermined by establishing further establishments with out clearly outlined financing preparations.

However, Alausa clarified that the seven-year moratorium was not supposed to completely deny Nigerians entry to tertiary schooling or stop future enlargement the place compelling nationwide wants existed.

Rather, he stated it was designed to present authorities time to deal with current institutional deficiencies, enhance tutorial requirements and be sure that future enlargement was correctly deliberate and financially sustainable.

He due to this fact appealed to Akpabio and the National Assembly management to assist the coverage by exercising restraint in contemplating and passing payments for brand new federal tertiary establishments through the seven-year interval.

“The success of our education system should be measured not merely by the number of institutions established, but by the capacity of existing institutions to deliver high-quality education, produce competent graduates and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.

The memo was additionally copied to the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.