FG Bans Creation of New Universities for 6 Years to Tackle Education Quality

Gloria Adesanya 09:57 - 05 March 2026

FG Imposes 6-year ban on the creation of new universities (Picture Credit - FUTA)

Nigeria Imposes Six-Year Freeze on New Tertiary Institutions, Targets Literacy Crisis.

Nigeria Imposes Six-Year Freeze on New Tertiary Institutions, Targets Literacy Crisis.

In a bold move, the federal government has announced a six-year ban on the creation of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across Nigeria.

The decision, made at Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu, is aimed at improving the quality of education and ensuring the sustainability of existing institutions.

A Quick GuideSpeaking to journalists at the State House, Education Minister Tunji Alausa explained the reasoning.

We have many tertiary institutions, both public and private. Today, access is not easy, and we need to help these private institutions remain financially sustainable.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) raises alarm on the shortage of tertiary institutions

The pressure on the system is undeniable. According to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), over 2.3 million candidates applied for admission last year, but fewer than 228,000 were offered spots in public universities.

With more applicants than available spaces, Alausa stressed that quality matters more than unchecked expansion.

The council also restored the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-formal Education (NMEC) to full independence, giving it renewed power to tackle Nigeria’s literacy crisis.

Currently, about 56 million Nigerians are considered illiterate. The commission plans to educate over 50 million young adults in the next two to three years and equip them with digital literacy skills, particularly in rural areas.

Radio, television, public advocacy, and community learning centres will play key roles in this outreach.

Other FEC decisions included amending the National Postgraduate Medical College Act to recognise medical fellowships as equivalent to a PhD for academic progression, and providing comprehensive insurance coverage for the country’s 180 federal unity schools.

The move comes just a year after the National Universities Commission (NUC) approved 33 new universities, bringing the total to 309.

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The government appears determined to pause expansion and focus on making existing institutions stronger and more sustainable.