Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
Of the N1.3 trillion promised for the revitalisation of public universities between 2013 and 2018, solely N250 billion, which is lower than 20 per cent, was launched between 2013 and 2021.
Of the extra N150 billion authorised in 2025 for Needs Assessment Intervention, solely N50 billion was launched.
It is on the energy of the aforementioned figures that the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has written to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, begging the National Assembly to cease creating new federal universities, polytechnics and faculties of schooling for seven years.
In the memo dated November 2, 2026, marked FME/DUE/NASS/153/Vol.1/147 and sighted in Abuja on Friday, Alausa warned that Nigeria is funding failure and spreading scarce sources throughout extra establishments, whereas present ones collapse for lack of lecture halls, laboratories, hostels and lecturers.
According to the minister, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) had already authorised the seven-year moratorium at its assembly of August 13, 2025.
The moratorium, he mentioned, was to halt the “growing proliferation” of establishments, duplication of programmes, under-utilisation of services and the federal government’s declining capability to fund the sector, however regardless of the coverage, payments for brand new establishments have continued to flood the Senate.
“The immediate challenge confronting the tertiary education sector is not merely the expansion of access, but the urgent need to strengthen existing institutions,” Alausa said.
The moratorium, he added, would enable authorities to “consolidate existing investments and improve the quality and carrying capacity of institutions already established”.
Alausa listed the deficits confronting federal universities, polytechnics and faculties of schooling to embrace insufficient lecture halls, overcrowded lecture rooms, inadequate laboratories, shortages of certified personnel, lodging deficits and deteriorating services.
“Spreading limited resources across more institutions without addressing the challenges confronting existing ones could further weaken the quality of tertiary education,” he warned.
“These funding gaps demonstrate the difficulty of meeting existing obligations and raise legitimate concerns about the capacity to sustain additional institutions without corresponding and guaranteed budgetary provisions.”
The minister cited Ekiti and Imo States as proof of what occurs when politics outruns funding.
“The institutions established without sustainable funding arrangements may subsequently require costly restructuring, merger or integration by successor administrations,” he warned.
Alausa drew consideration to Australia, Finland, Japan, the United States and South Africa, that are nations which have undertaken mergers and consolidation to reduce prices, remove duplication, enhance governance and strengthen analysis. Nigeria, he argued, ought to do the identical and prioritise viability and high quality over numbers.
The minister mentioned the federal government is already stretched by competing interventions on TETFund infrastructure, the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), vocational and expertise programmes, and the implementation of the Consolidated Academic Tools Allowance (CATA) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Tools Allowance (CONTTA) and creating new establishments with out recognized funding, he mentioned, would undermine these programmes.
He careworn that establishing a college is not only passing a regulation, it imposes long-term obligations — take-off grants, land acquisition, infrastructure, recruitment, gear, utilities and recurrent expenditure.
“Such obligations extend beyond the administration that initiates the establishment and become continuing liabilities for successive governments,” he said.
Without feasibility research, demonstrable want and credible funding, new establishments “may eventually become financial liabilities, compelling future administrations to undertake costly mergers, restructuring or outright closure, with attendant consequences for students, staff, public investments and the national education system”.
Alausa clarified that the seven-year moratorium will not be meant to completely deny entry or cease future enlargement the place there may be compelling nationwide want, however it’s meant to give authorities time to consolidate, repair deficiencies, elevate requirements and guarantee future enlargement is deliberate and sustainable.
He subsequently appealed to Akpabio and the Senate management to assist the coverage.
“In view of the foregoing, I respectfully appeal to Your Excellency and the distinguished leadership of the National Assembly to support the Federal Government’s seven-year moratorium by exercising restraint in the consideration and passage of Bills for the establishment of additional Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education during the period,” the memo said.
