Concerns are arising among stakeholders in the education sector due to the increasing number of tertiary institutions in the country. This comes in the wake of reports that the National Assembly is contemplating the creation of 32 Federal Colleges of Education, 11 Federal Colleges of Agriculture, and five Federal Polytechnics. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed that the Green Chamber has received and considered 962 bills, 500 motions, and 153 petitions in six months, indicating a potential rise in the number of federal-owned universities to 99.
Currently, Nigeria has 52 federal universities, 63 state universities, and 147 private universities. The Committee of Pro-Chancellors of State-Owned Universities (COPSUN) has cautioned against the proliferation of universities, urging both federal and state governments to enhance funding and improve the welfare of university workers instead of establishing new institutions. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has also expressed concerns, highlighting issues such as the lack of a funding template and problematic government methods of appointment and recruitment in state-owned universities.
ASUU leaders, including the National President Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke and UniAbuja ASUU Chairman Dr. Kasim Umaru, have criticized the National Assembly for sponsoring bills to create more universities. They argue that existing universities are already underfunded, and the focus should be on improving conditions rather than creating additional institutions. Dr. Umaru specifically urged the government to ban the creation of public universities and set stringent conditions for state governments, ensuring they have the financial capacity to run a university for five years before accessing funds from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). Other ASUU representatives, including Stanley Ogoun and Prof. Gbolahan Bolarin, echoed similar sentiments, calling for an urgent amendment of the National Universities Commission Act to curb indiscriminate establishment of new universities without adequate funding.
