President Bola Tinubu has imposed a seven-year ban on the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions across the country.
The ban, which covers universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, was approved during the federal executive council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Tinubu today.
Tunji Alausa, minister of education, explained the context and necessity of the moratorium, noting that the current challenge in Nigeria’s education sector is no longer about access to federal tertiary education but about addressing the duplication of institutions which has led to significant deterioration in both infrastructure and manpower.
“In our country, access to quality education is no longer an issue,” the minister said.
“What we are witnessing today is duplication of new federal tertiary institutions, a significant reduction in the current capacity of each institution, and degradation of both physical infrastructure and manpower.
“If we do not act decisively, it will lead to marked declines in educational quality and undermine the international respect that Nigerian graduates command.”
The minister said the government plans to redirect resources toward upgrading the current institutions, improving both physical infrastructure and manpower, and expanding the capacity of existing universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
