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Special Report : “More Universities, Less Funding: The Paradox of Nigeria’s Higher Education”

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8 months ago

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The long-standing rivalry between the Federal Government of Nigeria(FGN) and the Academic Staff Union Of Universities(ASUU) has caused a lot harm than good. And for the fact that the essence of the feud borders on a call for good renumerations for the serving lecturers is what so many people find disturbing. Don’t they deserve a good pay? Are they demanding too much? Or, are there no resources to meet those demands?

Questions like the ones posed above have made people react differently to the prevailing fight between the duo. But the one thing worrisome about the whole saga is the students being at the receiving end.

For over a decade, there have been strike actions by the union, expressing dissatisfaction with the manner in which the federal government of Nigeria handles welfarism of its members. The strike, which always comes and goes intermittently, has caused a lot of setbacks and disruption in the academic journey of many Nigerians schooling in the public universities.

Barring a last minute intervention, a fresh strike action by the union will be enforced before the year runs out. And as usual, students would be forced to go back home. Panels and committees had been inaugurated severally to discuss and arrive at an agreeable term between the two parties, but all to no avail. What must be done to settle this unending phenomenon once and for all?

On the other hand is the issue of mass proliferation of universities and federal polytechnics by the federal government of Nigeria. The current higher institutions of learning are barely being managed as they should be grossly underfunded. And the government is giving approval for the creation of other dozens of them. It could be said that it is a systemic move by the government, and the execution is being done geographically.

A detailed account of this development right from the administration of former president Jonathan, down to this very present government, will make it crystal clear that the government is indecisive in handling educational policies of this country.

Jonathan came into power and initiated the “one-state-one-federal-university” policy which gave rise to the creation of more universities during his tenure. Same way, the late president Buhari took over power in 2015 and approved the conversion of many existing agricultural colleges and institutions into full-fledged universities of agriculture and technology. Now, right from 2023 to date, the Tinubu’s administration has taken the same route as the previous two with the approval of nine new institutions in the first three months of this year.

However, in a sudden reversal, the Federal Government in August 2025 imposed a seven-year suspension on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. This came after the National Universities Commission (NUC) had earlier, in February 2025, declared a one-year moratorium on new private university applications. According to Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa, the suspension was a “reset button” to halt the unchecked proliferation that was leading to a decline in quality. He explained that many federal institutions are underutilized—one with 1,200 staff has fewer than 800 students—while resources are overstretched and duplication has become rampant.

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The policy, however, did not stop the approval of nine private universities during the same Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in August. These were not new submissions but long-pending applications that had already passed evaluation before the moratorium took effect. Alongside this, the NUC is reviewing its guidelines for establishing private universities and intensifying its clampdown on illegal institutions.

On The Proliferation of Higher Institutions

Again, Dr. Auwalu Muttaqa expressed great dissatisfaction with the development, attributing the trend to one of the reasons behind their setbacks in the education sector of Nigeria:

“On the other hand is the growing concern amidst the creation of several universities and polytechnics in addition to the ones existing which are not being properly funded.”

“The lecturers are demanding for a descent welfarism which has not been met, instead the government finds it satisfying to create more of institutions which indirectly means more academics. Who does that? Does that even make sense?”

He also linked the proliferation to political interests:

“By the time each of those house of representatives or senators demands that a university or polytechnic should be created in their constituencies, everywhere would be flooded with dilapidated higher institutions because none of them cares for the proper funding of these institutions. And they do all that because of votes. They need something to campaign with.”

According to him, even the new moratorium by the government is a reactionary measure, not a well-thought-out policy shift:

“Let us tell ourselves the truth, there’s a serious brain drain issue in the education sector of this country, and nobody is willing to talk about proffering solutions to it now until it escalates to a point that will be uncontrollable. The suspension is good on paper, but without addressing funding and staffing, it changes nothing.”

In a stark contrast, Shola Sherif, a medical student, opined that the country is currently not capacitated to accommodate students applying into various undergraduate programs, hence the reason why assenting to more creation of higher institutions of learning isn’t a bad thing:

“There are over 1.5 million prospective candidates of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board(JAMB) every year, and the federal, state and private universities combined can only offer admission to about 500,000 to 700,000 of these candidates. So, it’s, to me, the most sensible thing to do creating more higher institutions.”

In response, his colleague, Mubarak asked:

“They should keep on establishing more institutions while the existing ones are not being properly funded?”

And Shola replied:

“We seriously need to manage. Would you rather have those millions of brilliant minds waste at home because you need proper funding?”

The proliferation of universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria is a deliberate and accelerated policy trend that has been most prominent since 2000s, with a significant surge between 2010 and 2023 as discussed in the first part of this piece. According to some, as disclosed by Shola Sherif, the strategy is primarily driven by the need to address the critical and growing imbalance: the massive demand for university education versus the severely limited supply of admission space.

While on the other hand are those advocating for proper funding of these institutions or the newly established institutions should be scrapped; citing the shortage of academic staff in the country due to brain drain which will definitely make the new institutions created not only deficient in funding but also in academic manpower.

Also, others see the incessant strike actions by the Academic Staff Union Of Universities(ASUU) as a selfish attitude, urging them to resign if their demands are not being met. The issue, in all honesty, should be resolved amicably in the sense that both parties will be happy at the end.

At the heart of it all, however, lies the bone of contention: proper funding of universities and enhanced welfare and remuneration for academic staff. The underfunding of the higher institutions of learning is realistic, it’s not a hearsay. And the funding capacity by the government is never a big deal—what is lacking is the political will to prioritize education.

So the questions are:

Is the government willing to fund the various higher institutions of learning, and create enabling environments for the attainment of human capital development by the academics?

Should the academic staff who found the treatment from the government unsatisfying tender their resignation letter instead of embarking on strike every now and then?

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Kano IRS Commissions Compliance Office, Raises Revenue Target to N68 Billion

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2 hours ago

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May 20, 2026

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The Kano State Internal Revenue Service has commissioned a new Compliance and Enforcement Office as part of efforts to strengthen tax administration and improve internally generated revenue across the state.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Kano, the Executive Chairman of the agency, Dr. Zaid Abubakar, said the establishment of the office marked another milestone in the ongoing reforms within the revenue service.

According to him, the agency is determined to significantly increase revenue generation, revealing that the service initially set a target of N35 billion for the year but has now raised expectations for the compliance and enforcement department to deliver as much as N68 billion.

Dr. Abubakar explained that the newly commissioned office would provide staff with a more conducive working environment to improve efficiency and productivity.

“This office is an important component of our service. Previously, the compliance and enforcement team operated from a container facility, but today they now have a befitting environment to work effectively,” he said.

Dr Zaidu Abubakar the executive chairman making a remark

Dr Zaidu Abubakar the executive chairman making a remark

He expressed appreciation to the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for providing political support to the agency’s reforms and modernization efforts.

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“We thank Governor Yusuf for all the political support given to the service. We are also grateful to our technical partners whose contributions have been commendable,” the chairman added.

Dr. Abubakar disclosed that the agency has embarked on a series of infrastructural and technological upgrades aimed at modernizing tax administration in the state. He noted that the service had already commissioned the Gyadi-Gyadi Tax Centre and a new call centre to improve taxpayer engagement and service delivery.

He further announced that another tax office located in Nassarawa would be commissioned within the next two weeks to oversee municipal tax operations in the area.

The chairman also highlighted improvements in operational equipment and digital infrastructure within the service. According to him, before the current administration assumed office, the agency had only 60 computers, but the number has now risen to over 300.

“We are working to provide all the necessary equipment needed for effective service delivery. I want to call on every member of staff to take their responsibilities seriously,” he stated.

Dr. Abubakar also revealed that the Kano State Government was considering improved welfare packages for workers in the revenue service. He said plans were underway to remove staff remuneration from the mainstream civil service structure and align it with better-performing revenue agencies in states such as Lagos.

“The state governor is committed to improving the welfare package of workers so it can be in tandem with what is obtainable in states like Lagos,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Director of Revenue Compliance, Muhammad Abba Aliyu, described the commissioning as a major opportunity for staff of the compliance and enforcement department.

He urged workers under the unit to adopt a renewed attitude toward their duties and take advantage of the improved working environment to increase performance.

“This is a golden opportunity for the commissioning of the Compliance and Enforcement Office. I urge all staff under the office to change their attitude from today and double their efforts,” he said.

A representative of Mannan Professional Services, technical partners to the revenue service, expressed appreciation for being part of the initiative and voiced confidence that the compliance team would effectively utilize the new facility in carrying out its responsibilities.

In his remarks, the Kano State Commissioner of Finance, Dr. Aliyu Danmaraya, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Amina Yusuf Yargaya, commended the efforts of the revenue service toward improving tax compliance and boosting state development.

He noted that effective revenue generation remains one of the most important strategies for sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development in Kano State.

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NDA Announces Date for Nationwide Screening Test

Published

13 hours ago

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May 19, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Nigerian Defence Academy has announced that its Screening Test for the 78 Regular Course will hold on Saturday, 13 June 2026 across all states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

In a statement issued on its X handle on Tuesday and signed by the Academy Registrar, the institution said the exercise is open only to candidates who scored 180 and above in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board in April 2026, and who selected the NDA as their first-choice institution.

According to the NDA, eligible candidates will receive an email on 20 May 2026 directing them to select their preferred state for the screening test.

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The academy noted that this step is necessary for the allocation of examination centres nationwide.

The statement added that candidates must complete their selection of preferred test location no later than 24 May 2026.

The NDA advised applicants to choose their state of residence as their examination location, emphasising that the screening exercise will be conducted simultaneously across the country.

It further stated that candidates will later be informed of their assigned centres in the first week of June 2026.

“The selection of location (State) of choice for the test is to be done latest by 24 May 2026,” the statement read.

It also assured candidates of timely communication and further instructions via email, stressing that the Academy remains committed to fairness and equal opportunity for all qualified applicants nationwide.

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EFCC Arrests Fleeing Ex-Power Minister, Saleh Mamman in Kaduna

Published

13 hours ago

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May 19, 2026

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arrested a fleeing former Minister of Power, Saleh Mamman, in Rigasa area of Kaduna State.

Mamman was arrested in the early hours of Tuesday, May 19, 2026 following weeks of intensive surveillance and intelligence gathering by operatives of the Commission.

Addressing journalists on the arrest, Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, disclosed that the former minister went underground after he was convicted by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on corruption charges.

“On May 7, 2026, Justice James Omotosho found Mamman guilty on all 12 counts bordering on diversion of funds meant for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric power projects. The court convicted him in absentia after agreeing with the Commission that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.

“For us, getting the convict to serve his jail terms is extremely important in view of the seriousness with which we are tackling corrupt practices. It is this resolve that made us deploy intelligence to tracking and arresting the convict. We will process his transmission to the Correctional Centre accordingly”, he said.

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Justice Omotosho had, in his judgment, held that the EFCC successfully established that Mamman and his associates diverted not less than N22 billion meant for the execution of critical power projects. The court further held that the defence failed to present credible evidence capable of discrediting the prosecution’s case.

The judge condemned the diversion of public funds earmarked for the Zungeru and Mambilla hydroelectric projects, describing the act as a gross abuse of public trust. He also noted that the convict deployed proxy companies and associates to siphon and benefit from funds meant for critical national infrastructure.

Mamman, who served as Minister of Power between 2019 and 2021 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, supervised Nigeria’s power sector and major hydroelectric projects, including the Mambilla and Zungeru power projects.

Following his conviction, the court ordered that he be arrested and produced before it on May 13, 2026, for sentencing. However, the convict failed to appear in court on the scheduled date, prompting the court to proceed with sentencing in his absence.

Justice Omotosho subsequently sentenced Mamman to seven years imprisonment each on Counts 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 without an option of fine. He was also sentenced to three years imprisonment on Count 4 with an option of N10 million fine and two years imprisonment on Count 5 without an option of fine.

The court further ordered that the sentences run consecutively, bringing the total jail term to 75 years.

Apart from the conviction, Mamman is also facing another corruption trial before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, over alleged N31 billion fraud.

On May 11, 2026, Justice Maryanne Anenih issued a bench warrant for his arrest following his failure to appear for proceedings in the matter involving him and seven others.

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