The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a seven-year moratorium on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the decision on Thursday after the FEC meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu.
According to Alausa, the move became necessary following concerns over underutilised institutions, inadequate infrastructure, and declining academic standards in existing schools.
“Several federal universities operate far below capacity, with some having fewer than 2,000 students,” the minister said. “This is an inefficient use of government resources. If we want to improve quality and not be a laughing stock globally, the pragmatic step is to pause the establishment of new federal institutions.”
Alausa explained that the freeze applies to both public and private tertiary institutions. However, he noted that nine pending private universities were recently approved after satisfying the National Universities Commission (NUC)’s rigorous standards.
Describing the policy as a “reset button” for Nigeria’s education system, the minister said President Tinubu is committed to ensuring that every Nigerian has access to quality education comparable to global standards.
