FG Imposes Seven-Year Moratorium on New Federal Universities
The Federal Government has declared a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country. This decision was formally announced following the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.
Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa outlined the rationale behind the moratorium, stressing the urgent need to address the inefficiencies and decline in the quality of federal tertiary institutions. Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, in addition to hundreds of state-owned and private institutions. However, a significant challenge has emerged: many universities and colleges are operating far below capacity. For the 2024/2025 academic session, 199 universities recorded fewer than 100 applicants through JAMB, with 34 universities receiving no applicants at all. Similarly, 295 polytechnics and 219 colleges of education also struggled with alarmingly low application numbers, some recording no applicants whatsoever.
The minister highlighted the paradox of excessive staffing in institutions with low student enrollment, citing an example of a northern federal university employing over 1,200 staff members for fewer than 800 students. "This is simply not sustainable," Alausa remarked, emphasizing the waste of government resources and the inefficiency of spreading limited funds thinly across too many institutions.
The moratorium is designed to halt the proliferation of new federal tertiary institutions, which experts and stakeholders believe has contributed to dilapidated infrastructure, overstretched manpower, and underutilized capacity. Instead, the government will channel resources and attention towards upgrading existing institutions, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of education and research output. The ultimate goal is to ensure Nigerian graduates remain competitive and respected on the global stage.
President Tinubu’s administration is also keen to reform administrative processes related to private higher education. As part of the announcement, the government approved the establishment of nine new private universities out of 79 active applications. These private institutions—including Tazkiyah University in Kaduna, Leadership University in Abuja, and Jimoh Babalola University in Kwara—had been delayed in approval due to bureaucratic inefficiencies. The government’s new streamlined approach reflects a commitment to improving educational standards while ensuring fair and efficient regulatory practices.
Dr. Alausa expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for championing education reforms and insisted the moratorium is a pragmatic step to safeguard Nigeria’s educational future. He warned that failure to act decisively could worsen graduate unemployment and erode the international respect Nigerian degrees currently enjoy. The policy aims to strike a balance between expanding access and maintaining academic excellence, thereby curbing the mass production of underprepared graduates who struggle in the labor market.
