By George Omagbemi Sylvester
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced a six‑year moratorium on the establishment of new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education across the country, citing the urgent need to focus on strengthening, improving quality, and enhancing the capacity of existing tertiary institutions. The directive came from the Federal Ministry of Education following consultations with educational stakeholders and regulators.
The policy was unveiled on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja, where the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, explained the rationale behind the decision. He said the moratorium aims to address chronic challenges in Nigeria’s higher education system, including infrastructure deficits, staff shortages, accreditation gaps, and poor learning environments in many existing institutions.
According to the ministry, the ban will apply to all categories of tertiary institutions seeking approval to establish new campuses or colleges. Government officials emphasised that the focus will now be on upgrading facilities, increasing faculty development, streamlining accreditation processes, and ensuring quality assurance compliance before the moratorium is lifted.
The decision has garnered mixed reactions among education stakeholders, with some applauding the move as necessary to improve standards, while others argue that it could limit access to higher education for Nigeria’s rapidly growing youth population. The Minister assured Nigerians that the policy is temporary and strategic, designed to make the existing system more robust, competitive, and internationally recognised.
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