The Federal Government has imposed a seven-year ban on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, citing overstretched resources, poor infrastructure, and falling enrolment.
The decision, approved on Wednesday,August 13,2025,by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) at a meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja, followed a presentation by the Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa.
Briefing journalists, Alausa said the main challenge in tertiary education was no longer access but inefficient use of existing facilities.
He cited instances of federal universities with fewer than 2,000 students and a northern institution where 1,200 staff serve under 800 students.
“This is a waste of government resources,” he noted, adding that 199 universities received fewer than 100 applications through JAMB last year, with 34 recording none at all.
Of the 295 polytechnics nationwide, many had fewer than 99 applicants, while 219 colleges of education also recorded low figures, including 64 with zero enrolment.
Alausa warned that the unchecked expansion of poorly subscribed institutions could produce ill-prepared graduates, erode the value of Nigerian degrees globally, and worsen unemployment.
Tje moratorium, he said, would allow the government to focus on upgrading facilities, hiring qualified staff, and boosting the capacity of existing schools.
“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,” he stated.
Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 42 federal polytechnics, and 28 federal colleges of education, alongside numerous state-owned, private, and specialised institutions.
Despite the freeze, FEC on Wednesday approved nine new universities.
Alausa clarified that these are private institutions whose applications—some pending for six years—had undergone full evaluation by the National Universities Commission (NUC).
