FG Proposes Seven-Year Moratorium on New Federal Universities, Polytechnics

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government has appealed to the National Assembly to suspend the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education for seven years to address funding challenges and improve academic standards.

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

In the memo, marked FME/DUE/NASS/153/Vol.1/147, the Minister of Education, Mr Tunji Alausa, said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the seven-year moratorium on August 13, 2025.

Mr Alausa said the decision was aimed at addressing the proliferation of public tertiary institutions, duplication of academic programmes, under-utilisation of facilities and inadequate funding.

He said the priority should be strengthening existing institutions rather than establishing new ones, noting that many federal institutions were already grappling with overcrowded classrooms, inadequate laboratories, shortages of qualified personnel and deteriorating infrastructure.

The minister warned that creating more institutions without resolving these challenges could further weaken the quality of tertiary education.

He disclosed that only N250 billion of the N1.3 trillion approved for the 2013–2018 Federal Government-ASUU revitalisation programme was reportedly released between 2013 and 2021.

The minister added that of the additional N150 billion approved in 2025 for Needs Assessment Intervention, only N50 billion was initially released.

According to him, the funding gaps raised concerns about the government’s ability to meet existing obligations and sustain additional institutions.

Mr Alausa cited Ekiti and Imo states as examples of the financial difficulties associated with establishing multiple tertiary institutions without sustainable funding.

He recalled that three state-owned universities in Ekiti were merged into one institution, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, in 2011.

The minister also identified Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) interventions, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and vocational skills programmes as competing funding priorities requiring sustained government support.

He explained that establishing new institutions involved long-term financial commitments, including land acquisition, infrastructure development, staff recruitment, equipment and recurrent expenditure.

Mr Alausa cautioned that institutions established without proper feasibility studies and sustainable funding could become financial liabilities, potentially forcing future administrations to undertake mergers, restructuring or closures.

He, however, clarified that the moratorium was not intended to permanently deny Nigerians access to tertiary education or prevent future expansion where compelling national needs existed.

Rather, he said it would enable the government to consolidate existing investments, address institutional deficiencies and improve academic standards.

Mr Alausa urged the Senate leadership and other lawmakers to support the seven-year moratorium by suspending consideration of bills seeking to establish additional federal tertiary institutions.