The Federal Government has proposed a seven-year suspension on the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, warning that the continued expansion of tertiary institutions could undermine academic standards and weaken existing schools.
The government explained that it was becoming increasingly difficult to distribute limited financial resources among a growing number of institutions while many existing federal tertiary institutions continue to struggle with inadequate funding, dilapidated infrastructure, staff shortages and overcrowded classrooms.
Against this backdrop, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has appealed to the Senate and other lawmakers in the National Assembly to suspend the consideration and passage of bills seeking to establish additional federal tertiary institutions throughout the proposed seven-year period.
The request was contained in a memorandum dated November 2, 2026, addressed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, and copied to the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.
In the document, marked FME/DUE/NASS/153/Vol.1/147 and obtained in Abuja on Friday, Alausa disclosed that the Federal Executive Council had approved the seven-year moratorium during its August 13, 2025 meeting.
He explained that the decision was aimed at addressing the growing number of public tertiary institutions, duplication of academic
