The Federal Government has announced a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The landmark decision, approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC), is aimed at tackling the “unchecked proliferation” of under-utilised institutions and prioritizing the quality of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, who briefed journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, explained that the ban is a necessary step to address widespread inefficiencies, inadequate staffing, and declining student enrollment across the country’s existing federal institutions.

“The moratorium will allow the government to refocus resources on improving existing institutions by upgrading facilities, recruiting qualified staff, and expanding their carrying capacity,” Dr. Alausa stated. He gave an example of a northern university with 1,200 staff catering to fewer than 800 students, a clear indication of a system where resources are being spread too thinly.

The minister also cited alarming data from the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), revealing that 199 universities had fewer than 100 applicants last year, while 34 recorded zero applications. A similar trend was observed in colleges of education, with 64 institutions having no applicants at all.

Despite this freeze, Dr. Alausa clarified that the government is committed to expanding access to quality education. He noted that the same FEC meeting approved nine new private universities, whose applications had passed a “rigorous evaluation” process. He stressed that this move does not conflict with the moratorium on federal institutions, which is intended as a reset for the public sector.

In a related reform, the minister also announced that the government is reviewing the Polytechnic Act to allow polytechnics to award Bachelor of Technology degrees. This move is designed to address the imbalance where university education is often preferred over polytechnic education and will help to elevate the status of vocational and technical training in Nigeria.