Abuja, April 06, 2025 – In a bold move to promote accountability and align Nigeria’s higher education system with global best practices, the Federal Government has issued a new directive mandating all federal tertiary institutions to publish comprehensive institutional data on their official websites. The announcement, made by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, on Saturday, April 05, 2025, sets a compliance deadline of May 31, 2025.

The directive requires vice-chancellors, rectors, and provosts of federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to disclose critical details, including annual budgetary allocations, expenditure breakdowns, research grant revenues, endowment fund values, and total student populations categorized by undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The breakdown of budgets must cover personnel costs, overhead costs, and capital expenditures, while endowment figures are to be updated quarterly to ensure ongoing transparency.

“This is a transformative step toward entrenching transparency, accountability, and good governance in our tertiary education sector,” Dr. Alausa stated in a press release from the Federal Ministry of Education. “By making this information accessible, we aim to strengthen public trust, enhance performance-based funding, and elevate Nigeria’s standing in global education indices.”

The Ministry has warned that periodic reviews of institutional websites will be conducted, with administrative actions promised against non-compliant institutions. The initiative is part of a broader reform agenda under President Bola Tinubu’s administration to address longstanding challenges in the education sector, including funding disparities and operational inefficiencies.

The directive has sparked mixed reactions. Academic leaders have welcomed the push for transparency but expressed concerns over the tight timeline and the capacity of some institutions to comply, given infrastructural and technological limitations. “It’s a commendable move, but many institutions lack the digital infrastructure to meet this deadline,” said Professor Aisha Ibrahim, a vice-chancellor at a federal university in the North-West. “We’ll need support to make this work.”

Students and civil society groups have hailed the policy as a victory for accountability. “For too long, we’ve been in the dark about how our schools are funded and managed,” said Chinedu Okeke, president of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). “This will empower us to hold administrators accountable.”

The policy comes amid ongoing debates over the funding of Nigeria’s tertiary institutions, which have faced criticism for inadequate resources despite government subsidies. With 264 universities, 104 polytechnics, and 82 colleges of education nationwide, the directive aims to provide a clearer picture of financial and operational realities across the sector.

Abuja, Nigeria – April 5, 2025 – In a significant policy proposal, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, has called for the extension of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme from its current one-year duration to two years. The announcement was made on Friday during a courtesy visit by the newly appointed NYSC Director-General, Brigadier General Olakunle Nafiu, to the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja.

Dr. Alausa emphasized that the extension aims to enhance the NYSC’s impact on youth development and national growth. He advocated for an expanded focus on the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme, which he believes could transform corps members into job creators rather than job seekers. “You have done so well as an organization,” the Minister remarked, addressing NYSC leadership. “Let NYSC give people more opportunity to become job creators that will meet the needs of the country.”

The Minister also praised the NYSC for its recent digital reforms, which have significantly reduced certificate racketeering, particularly among foreign-trained graduates in West Africa. He noted that the scheme’s digitalized mobilization process has bolstered the integrity of the certification system, a move he described as a critical step forward for Nigeria’s education sector.

In addition to the proposed extension, Dr. Alausa highlighted ongoing efforts within the Ministry to digitize the verification of foreign-trained graduates of Nigerian origin. He stressed that collaboration between the Ministry and NYSC would be strengthened to improve education and support national development goals. The Minister also called for the deployment of more graduate teachers to rural schools, aiming to address manpower shortages in underserved areas.

Speaking during the visit, Brigadier General Nafiu commended the Ministry’s strides in education and proposed the creation of a national database to track Nigerian students studying abroad. He argued that such a system would enhance record-keeping and curb the proliferation of fake graduates.

The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mr. Abel Olumuyiwa Enitan, reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with NYSC to elevate educational standards across the country.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has officially unveiled the dates for the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), bringing relief and clarity to millions of prospective tertiary institution candidates across Nigeria. The announcement, made earlier this week, marks the end of weeks of anticipation following the conclusion of the registration process, which saw over two million candidates sign up for the crucial entrance examination.

According to JAMB, the 2025 UTME is scheduled to commence on April 25, 2025, and will run until May 5, 2025. This 11-day window will allow the board to accommodate the large number of registered candidates—reportedly 2,030,627—across its expanded network of 870 accredited Computer-Based Test (CBT) centers nationwide. The examination, a prerequisite for admission into Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, remains a pivotal milestone for students aspiring to pursue higher education.

In a statement released by JAMB’s Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, the board emphasized its commitment to ensuring a seamless examination process. “The dates have been carefully selected to provide ample preparation time for candidates and to ensure the smooth conduct of the UTME across all centers,” Dr. Benjamin noted. He added that candidates should reprint their examination slips in the coming days to confirm their specific exam dates, times, and venues, which will be determined by the examination town selected during registration.

The announcement follows the successful completion of the UTME registration period, which ran from February 3 to March 5, 2025, for UTME candidates, and from March 10 to April 7, 2025, for Direct Entry (DE) applicants. JAMB also confirmed that an optional mock examination will take place on February 23, 2025, offering candidates a chance to familiarize themselves with the CBT format ahead of the main event.

This year’s UTME preparations have not been without challenges. JAMB recently adjusted its registration timeline to address technical issues and to vet CBT centers for compliance, suspending some facilities found to have used substandard equipment. The board’s Registrar, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, assured stakeholders that these measures were taken to safeguard the integrity of the examination process. “We are determined to deliver an examination experience like never before, with improved technology and stricter oversight,” he said during a recent briefing.

The 2025 UTME continues to underscore JAMB’s role in standardizing Nigeria’s tertiary admission process. With the examination dates now set, candidates are urged to intensify their preparations and stay updated via JAMB’s official platforms. As the countdown begins, the nation watches eagerly, hopeful that this year’s exercise will pave the way for a new generation of scholars and professionals.

On March 3, 2025, the Federal Government of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, granted provisional licences to 11 new private universities, marking a significant expansion of the country’s higher education sector. This decision was announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. The move reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing access to tertiary education and addressing the growing demand for university placements amid Nigeria’s rising population and educational aspirations.

The 11 newly approved universities underwent a rigorous evaluation process overseen by the National Universities Commission (NUC), which is responsible for accrediting tertiary institutions in Nigeria. According to Dr. Alausa, each institution successfully completed the NUC’s 13-step assessment, a comprehensive procedure designed to ensure that only financially and academically viable universities are granted operational licenses. This process evaluates factors such as infrastructure, staffing, funding, and alignment with national educational priorities.

The approval process involves three key stages: review by NUC Management, endorsement by the NUC Board, and final approval by the FEC. The universities announced on March 3 had reached the final stages of this process, distinguishing them from other pending applications. This approval brings the total number of private universities in Nigeria to 160, contributing to a national total of 289 universities, which includes 129 federal and state institutions.

The newly licensed universities are geographically distributed across various states, reflecting an effort to broaden educational access nationwide. The institutions and their locations are as follows:

These institutions represent a mix of general and specialized universities, with some, like the Tonnie Iredia University of Communication and Isaac Balami University of Aeronautics and Management, focusing on niche areas of study to meet specific industry demands.

The approval of these universities comes at a time when Nigeria’s education system faces significant challenges, including limited admission capacity relative to demand. Despite having over 50% of the country’s universities as private institutions (149 prior to this approval), they account for less than 10% of total university admissions. This disparity has prompted the government to prioritize expanding access while ensuring quality control.

President Tinubu’s administration has emphasized improving educational infrastructure and opportunities as part of its broader development agenda. The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, highlighted this commitment, stating that the approvals align with efforts to “expand the frontiers of educational opportunities and infrastructure.”

Alongside the approvals, Dr. Alausa announced a moratorium on the establishment of additional private universities. This policy aims to regulate the rapid proliferation of private institutions and ensure sustainability and quality. However, the moratorium includes an exception: applications that have already advanced significantly in the NUC’s approval process—beyond step four and a second visit—will still be considered. This caveat acknowledges the investments made by prospective university proprietors while signaling a shift toward stricter oversight.

The Minister noted that some additional applications might still come before the FEC for approval if they meet the NUC’s stringent requirements. He emphasized the government’s mindfulness of the financial commitments already made by applicants, stating, “The ones that have gone through advanced stages of their processes, they have invested money, and we are mindful of those investments.”

The addition of these 11 universities further concentrates private higher education in certain regions, particularly the South-West, South-East, and South-South. States like Ogun (with New City University and Monarch University) and Kwara (with Abubakar Toyin University and Lens University) are prominent in this expansion. Historically, the South-West—home to states like Lagos, Ogun, and Oyo—has hosted the highest number of private universities, including well-known institutions like Covenant University and Babcock University.

This regional distribution raises questions about equitable access across Nigeria, particularly in the North-East and North-West, where fewer private universities exist. However, the inclusion of universities in states like Enugu (Kevin Eze University) and Akwa Ibom (Southern Atlantic University) suggests some effort to diversify geographic coverage.

As of March 2025, Nigeria’s university system comprises 43 federal universities, 47 state universities, and now 160 private universities, per NUC data. This total of 289 institutions still falls short of meeting the country’s educational needs, given its population of over 200 million and the high number of secondary school graduates seeking tertiary education annually. Experts have suggested that Nigeria may need as many as 774 universities to achieve a 50% admission rate, underscoring the scale of the challenge.

The focus on private universities also highlights their role in supplementing public institutions, which often face funding shortages and infrastructural deficits. However, private universities tend to charge higher tuition fees, making them less accessible to low-income students and reinforcing the need for balanced growth across both public and private sectors.

While the expansion is a step toward increasing educational capacity, it is not without scrutiny. The moratorium and the emphasis on rigorous standards suggest a recognition of past criticisms—namely, that some private universities have been established more for profit than academic excellence. Dr. Alausa’s remarks about ensuring “financially and academically capable institutions” indicate an intent to address this concern.

Additionally, the specialized nature of some new universities (e.g., aeronautics and communication) could help align higher education with 21st-century workforce demands, a priority the Minister referenced. Yet, the success of these institutions will depend on their ability to attract qualified faculty, secure sustainable funding, and deliver on their educational promises.