Prof. Tunji Olaopa Advocates New Governance for Universities

Prof. Tunji Olaopa, the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, addressed the challenges faced by public universities in Nigeria during the Federal University of Lokoja & Research Enterprise System’s Conference in Abuja. He emphasized the necessity for universities to adopt new governance and funding models to overcome systemic and structural bottlenecks, particularly the funding challenge.

Olaopa pointed out that Nigeria's education budget remains significantly below the UNESCO benchmark of 15-20% of public expenditure, with research funding at less than 0.3% of annual GDP, lower than the African average of 0.45% and the global benchmark of 1.7%. He called for a transformation in university operations, advocating for a unified governance model that connects financial planning with strategic goals.

This would require that no new academic programs or initiatives be approved unless they align with specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in the university’s strategic plan.