The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has criticised the Federal Government’s recent approval of licenses for new private universities, calling it contradictory and counterproductive.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Christopher Piwuna, on Thursday, ASUU recalled the Federal Executive Council’s recent declaration of a seven-year moratorium on establishing new federal tertiary institutions. The union questioned the rationale behind approving additional private universities if access to higher education is no longer a pressing issue.
“ASUU watched with dismay as the Federal Government announced a seven-year moratorium, only to proceed with licensing nine new private universities,” the statement read. “If access is no longer the problem, why is the National Universities Commission (NUC) granting more licenses? While we acknowledge the rights of private individuals to establish universities, education must be tightly regulated to ensure quality.”
ASUU emphasized the need to prioritise quality over quantity, warning that the unchecked expansion of universities undermines educational standards and diverts scarce resources. According to the union, the country currently has 72 federal, 108 state, and 159 private universities—totaling 339 institutions—averaging nine universities per state, not including polytechnics and colleges of education.
“Why not place a moratorium on both public and private universities?” ASUU asked. “The past and present administrations should be ashamed of this reckless proliferation, which has become a scandal.”
The union warned that failure to halt this trend would continue to damage Nigeria’s global university rankings. It also blamed regulatory agencies and university administrators for contributing to poor staffing structures, an issue highlighted by the Minister of Education.
While welcoming the moratorium on federal universities, ASUU noted that the decision came too late, having repeatedly warned against the creation of ill-equipped, poorly funded “mushroom” institutions.
“For over a decade, we have warned of the harmful effects of establishing universities with no development plans. These have become instruments of political patronage, not academic excellence,” the statement said.
ASUU cited the Education Minister’s recent disclosure that over 30 universities recorded zero student applications as evidence of misplaced priorities. “It is senseless and wasteful to spread scarce resources thinly over under-subscribed institutions,” the union argued.
Government’s position
The Federal Executive Council approved the moratorium on August 13, citing duplication and underutilisation as major concerns.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, told journalists that several federal universities were operating far below capacity, with some enrolling fewer than 2,000 students. In one northern university, 1,200 staff serve less than 800 students.
“This is a misuse of government resources,” Alausa said. He added that many institutions had fewer than 100 applicants in the last JAMB admission cycle, raising concerns over quality and relevance.
Alausa warned that the proliferation of poorly subscribed institutions could lead to the production of underqualified graduates, further devaluing Nigerian degrees and exacerbating unemployment.
“If we want to improve quality and avoid being a global laughingstock, we must pause the establishment of new federal institutions,” he concluded.
Lecturers’ welfare still unresolved
Meanwhile, ASUU reiterated its demands for the Federal Government to urgently address unresolved issues affecting university staff and institutions. These include the renegotiation of the 2009 ASUU-FGN Agreement, sustainable funding of public universities, and the revitalisation of the existing tertiary education system.
The union also raised concerns over outstanding salary arrears of 25 to 35 percent, a backlog of promotion arrears spanning over four years, and the non-remittance of third-party deductions.
ASUU expressed particular frustration with the lack of government commitment to the welfare of lecturers who retired under the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS), introduced in 2024. It said these retirees continue to suffer the consequences of what it described as “anti-people policies.”
“Retired members continue to suffer from the government’s anti-people policies. The FGN has repeatedly ignored our calls,” the statement said. “As always, it is the government that pushes ASUU towards industrial action. Sadly, it appears we may once again have no choice but to embark on strike to force the government to act.”