Federal Government Seeks Seven-Year Freeze on New Tertiary Institutions

The Federal Government of Nigeria has officially requested that the National Assembly impose a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. According to a memo from the Federal Ministry of Education addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the move is intended to curb the rapid proliferation of tertiary institutions, which the government argues is straining national resources and compromising academic standards.

Addressing the Funding Crisis

In the document, Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa highlighted that the Federal Executive Council approved this moratorium in August 2025. The government contends that the current priority must shift from expanding access to strengthening existing facilities. The ministry noted that many current institutions suffer from significant deficits, including overcrowded classrooms, insufficient laboratories, and a lack of qualified personnel.

The memo provides a stark look at the financial reality of the sector. It points to the 2013-2018 revitalisation commitment to the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), which totaled ₦1.3 trillion. Of that amount, only ₦250 billion was released between 2013 and 2021. Furthermore, only ₦50 billion of a ₦150 billion 2025 Needs Assessment intervention has been disbursed, illustrating the difficulty of meeting existing obligations.

Lessons from State-Level Consolidation

The ministry cited the experiences of Ekiti and Imo states as cautionary tales. In both regions, the establishment of multiple institutions without sustainable funding eventually necessitated mergers and restructuring. The minister warned that creating new federal institutions without guaranteed, long-term funding sources risks turning them into financial liabilities that future administrations may be forced to merge or close.

A Shift Toward Quality Over Quantity

Drawing on international examples, including Japan, Finland, and South Africa, the government argued that global trends favor institutional consolidation to achieve economies of scale and improve research capacity. The ministry emphasized that the moratorium is not intended to permanently limit access to education, but rather to allow for the consolidation of investments and the improvement of infrastructure.

The government is currently managing several significant financial commitments, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) and various personnel allowance programs. The ministry maintains that these existing interventions must be protected from the fiscal pressure of new, unfunded institutional mandates.

Conclusion

The Federal Government’s appeal to the National Assembly underscores a growing tension between legislative initiatives for new schools and the fiscal capacity to maintain them. By requesting this seven-year pause, the Ministry of Education aims to pivot toward a model where the success of the sector is measured by the quality of graduates and the viability of existing campuses rather than the sheer number of institutions on the books.

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p class=”vbna-source-note”>Source: Channels Television

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