There is growing concern among stakeholders in the education sector regarding the proliferation of tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
These concerns have been sparked by reports that the National Assembly is contemplating the creation of approximately 32 Federal Colleges of Education, 11 Federal Colleges of Agriculture, and five Federal Polytechnics, in addition to existing institutions.
On December 30, 2023, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, informed Reps members that the Green Chamber had received and considered 962 bills, 500 motions, and 153 petitions in just six months.
If these bills are approved, the number of federal-owned universities in Nigeria will soon increase to 99.
Nigeria currently has a total of 52 federal universities, 63 state universities, and 147 private universities across the country.
The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has cautioned state governments against establishing new universities and instead urged them to focus on improving the funding and welfare of existing institutions in order to maintain international standards.
Expressing similar concerns, the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) highlighted that the establishment of universities without a proper funding framework has contributed to the declining quality of tertiary education in the country.
ASUU National President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, also raised issues regarding the government’s approach to appointment and recruitment in state-owned universities, further exacerbating the challenges faced by tertiary institutions.
Dr. Kasim Umaru, the ASUU Chairman at UniAbuja, voiced worry over the trend of lawmakers sponsoring bills to create more universities, expressing concern that these new institutions may not receive adequate funding and could lead to a shortage of qualified lecturers.
He urged the government to halt the establishment of public universities and impose strict financial criteria on state governments before allowing them to establish new institutions, including a five-year period of independent funding before accessing support from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Furthermore, ASUU representatives across different zones in Nigeria have called for legislative amendments to prevent governors from indiscriminately establishing new universities without proper funding, emphasizing that this practice is negatively impacting existing institutions.
Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, Chairman of ASUU at the Federal University of Minna, criticized the lawmakers’ focus on creating new institutions, labeling it as a misplaced priority and urging them to prioritize initiatives that benefit their constituents and the nation as a whole.