A picture of chronic under-enrolment and mismanaged resources in Nigeria’s federal tertiary institutions has emerged following the Federal Government’s decision to freeze the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education for the next seven years.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, revealed after Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that the moratorium was necessitated by a sector stretched thin — with infrastructure crumbling and staffing costs ballooning — despite a steady decline in student intake.
Shocking figures show that during the 2024/2025 academic session, 199 universities attracted fewer than 100 candidates in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) applications, while 34 institutions received none at all. Some polytechnics and colleges of education faced similar neglect.
Even more troubling, Alausa cited examples such as a federal university with fewer than 800 students but over 1,200 staff, and several northern institutions running with fewer than 2,000 students.
“The proliferation of institutions has not improved access but has drained resources and eroded quality. We must consolidate what we have before thinking of expansion,” Alausa warned.
Nigeria currently operates 72 federal universities, 42 polytechnics, and 28 colleges of education. While the moratorium covers all federal establishments, the FEC also approved nine new private universities from applications lodged over six years ago. However, the minister hinted that similar quality-control measures will soon apply to private operators.
The government insists the pause is aimed at rehabilitating facilities, training personnel, and boosting the carrying capacities of existing institutions, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to deliver world-class graduates.
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