The Nigerian Senate and the National Universities Commission (NUC) have called for the creation of additional universities to address the country’s increasing need for higher education opportunities.
This call was made during a public hearing organized by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund in Abuja. The event focused on a proposed bill to establish the Federal University, Okigwe, in Imo State. Stakeholders from various sectors came together to deliberate on the pressing need for expanded access to tertiary education in Nigeria.
Senator Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, stressed that the proposed university in Okigwe would provide greater educational access for Nigerians, particularly those in Imo State.
Senator Patrick Ndubueze, the bill’s sponsor, added that establishing the institution would bring federal recognition to Okigwe, a town he noted had been overlooked for decades.
NUC Executive Secretary, Mr. Chris Maiyaki, highlighted the critical gap in Nigeria’s higher education system. “There are 275 universities, both public and private, available for over two million prospective students seeking admission annually,” he said. He explained that this results in approximately 1.3 million students being left without university placements each year.
Maiyaki also compared Nigeria’s educational infrastructure to other countries. “Nigeria, with a population of 200 million, has only 275 universities,” he said, contrasting this with Indonesia, which has 2,000 universities despite having a similar population size.
He assured stakeholders that the NUC is working to enhance regulatory frameworks and increase capacity to support new universities. This would help meet the growing demand for quality education and reduce the strain on existing institutions.
