Federal Government Bans New Federal Universities, Polytechnics & Colleges for 7 Years

In a major policy shift, the Federal Executive Council (FEC), led by President Bola Tinubu, has approved a seven-year moratorium on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria. The decision was disclosed at the FEC meeting on Wednesday and is geared toward halting unchecked expansion of underutilized institutions and restoring quality in higher education.

Speaking after the meeting, Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa emphasized that the challenge in Nigeria’s tertiary sector is no longer access but a surplus of institutions that are poorly resourced and inadequately utilized NairametricsThe Guardian Nigeria. He noted distressing statistics: of 199 federal universities, 34 received zero applicants for admission via JAMB, while polytechnics and colleges of education reflected similar declines in student intake NairametricsThe Guardian Nigeria.

Alausa also highlighted striking inefficiencies: one federal university with fewer than 800 students employed over 1,200 staff, revealing unsustainable staffing models at the expense of educational quality NairametricsThe Guardian Nigeria. With 72 federal universities, 42 polytechnics, and 28 colleges of education already in existence, plus dozens of state and private institutions, the moratorium seeks to consolidate rather than proliferate Western PostThe Guardian Nigeria.

According to the Minister, this pause will allow the government to redirect funding toward upgrading infrastructure, expanding staff capacity, improving teaching facilities, and raising enrollment at existing institutions NairametricsNigeria Education News. The aim is to ensure that Nigerian universities and colleges maintain global credibility and produce employable graduates.

Interestingly, while the moratorium applies strictly to federal institutions, the FEC approved nine new private universities at the same meeting. These were not new proposals but longstanding applications from investors who had fulfilled NUC requirements and invested in infrastructure. Additionally, similar moratorium measures will soon target private polytechnics and colleges of education to ensure that expansion is sustainable and meaningful The Guardian NigeriaNigeria Education News.

Academic union ASUU has welcomed the freeze, having previously criticized the reckless rush to expand higher education without commensurate funding and support for existing institutions Sahara ReportersPremium Times Nigeria.