Federal Government Calls for Seven-Year Ban on New Tertiary Institutions

The Federal Government of Nigeria has urged the National Assembly to impose a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. This request, made by Minister of Education Tunji Alausa in a memorandum dated November 2, 2026, cites funding constraints, infrastructure deficits, and the inability to sustain existing institutions.

The Federal Executive Council approved this moratorium on August 13, 2025, to address issues such as the proliferation of institutions and under-utilization of facilities. Alausa highlighted the need to prioritize strengthening existing institutions through improved funding and infrastructure rather than increasing their numbers.

He pointed out significant funding gaps, including only N250bn of the N1.3tn commitment under the 2013-2018 Federal Government-ASUU agreement being released. Alausa also mentioned that only N50bn of the additional N150bn approved in 2025 for Needs Assessment Intervention was released, leaving N100bn outstanding.

He warned that establishing new institutions would create long-term financial obligations for the government.