The Federal Ministry of Education's decision to impose a six-year moratorium on the establishment of new universities in Nigeria is a painful but perhaps necessary measure. It is painful because existing universities cannot accommodate the large number of young Nigerians seeking higher education. A moratorium, as placed by the government, means that the path to higher education is even narrower. On the other hand, given the public alarm over the unrestricted proliferation of universities, which has compromised quality, there is a need for a break to allow authorities to re-examine the situation and make necessary amends. No country should feel comfortable with universities becoming glorified secondary schools, lacking critical infrastructure, research facilities, quality teachers, and a conducive learning environment.
Using the Moratorium Period for Improvement
The challenge for the sector is to use the moratorium period to identify all defects in the system and map out strategies to rectify them. If stakeholders do not move quickly or take the challenge seriously, they will face the same unwholesome situation in six years. For the next six years, the Federal Ministry of Education has put a lid on new universities. The moratorium on new public tertiary institutions, effective from August 2025, has been expanded to include private universities through a fresh moratorium in March 2026. As far as the government is concerned, the challenge of access to tertiary education has been overcome; there are now enough institutions. What remains is to standardize quality and align resources to areas of need, avoiding waste and duplication.
Minister's Justification and Statistics
Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, justified the move by citing quality issues and proliferation, which caused deterioration in infrastructure and manpower. He also alluded to the need to assist private institutions to become financially stable and sustainable. The six-year temporary ban affects both public and private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. The minister stated that in 2025, 2.3 million Nigerians applied to JAMB, but only 228,000 candidates secured placements in public universities. Meanwhile, Nigeria's 169 private universities are undersubscribed, catering to just 5-10% of the total student population. This implies that despite more institutions, enrollment challenges persist.
There are 72 federal universities, 108 state-owned universities, and 159 private universities in the country, with a combined carrying capacity of fewer than 1 million students. Despite increased access, most public schools are stretched. Private institutions do not enroll enough students to relieve pressure on public institutions, a factor attributable to high school fees and related expenses. The minister is worried that some federal universities have fewer than 800 students serviced by over 1,200 staff members. Conversely, older public institutions are stretched for space and facilities. Unfortunately, private institutions licensed to take pressure off public institutions have been unable to do so. Data from 2017 to 2022 showed that 97 private universities admitted just 175,645 students. There is room for improvement.
Focus on Quality and Curriculum Alignment
Many private universities operate at very low capacity due to low investment. Most lack qualified teachers and a quality academic environment, making them look like glorified secondary schools. The six-year period should be spent on improving what exists. Certainly, the quality of tertiary education is important and should not be compromised by numbers. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has consistently challenged the government's heedless proliferation of universities without adequate funding. Each time new institutions are established, older ones are often neglected without a significant increase in the education budget. Given this, the minister's policy shift to focus on quality and align the curriculum to eliminate duplication and redundancy is instructive.
Many institutions offer courses they have no capacity to teach. Many state-owned institutions are established for political purposes, not on a needs basis. There is a need for a creative overhaul of the system to improve quality and sustain accessibility. The National Universities Commission (NUC) should be firm and decisive in its regulatory function. Let attention shift from just manufacturing numbers to training hands-on solution providers for Nigeria's multiple challenges. This is the time to align tertiary institutions with the urgency of industrializing and becoming developed and self-sustaining. Nigeria should not continue to depend on imports from India, China, and other countries for goods it can produce. Nigeria was once at par with these countries but now lags behind because it lacks the discipline to translate teachings and research into industrial growth.
Assistance for Private Institutions
The minister's desire to assist private institutions to remain financially stable is in the right direction, given that their students are Nigerians expected to contribute to the country's growth, like their counterparts in public schools. Private school operators have requested consideration for the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND). Some have also wondered why students in private institutions cannot access the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND). However, the minister's mandate is first and foremost to public schools, which, if well-conceived and run in the first place, would have negated the need for private universities in the current context. Whatever plans the government has for private universities should be managed to ensure that public institutions, already underfunded, are not put at further disadvantage.
Notably, only a handful of private universities are doing relatively well in terms of academic performance, research, and student enrollment. Others are struggling, lacking functioning laboratories, quality staff, and sustainable funding. This moratorium should not be a time for inaction; it should be a period to expand and consolidate investments. The noble idea of private universities should not be turned into a competition based on religious or other banal sentiments. It must be needs-based with proven capacity to project growth and development. Rather than being perceived as an opportunity to make easy money, the moratorium should be implemented as a commitment to reinvigorating the education sector and contributing to nation-building.
