Federal Gov’t Threatens To Sanction Illegal Satellite Campuses

The federal government has announced the plan to impose strict sanctions on all institutions operating illegal and unapproved satellite campuses across the country.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a memo issued on Wednesday, warned that any satellite campus established without prior approval through their respective regulatory agencies, the National Universities Commission, the National Board for Technical Education and the National Colleges of Education will face sanctions.

The minister expressed serious concern over the growing trend of unregulated and unjustified establishment of satellite campuses by Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

“Many of these newly created Satellite campuses lack the necessary academic, strategic, and infrastructural backing to justify their existence,” he said.

Alausa emphasised that the unapproved proliferation of satellite campuses undermines the integrity, quality, and sustainability of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

“Rather than focusing on improving existing campuses, some Vice Chancellors, Rectors and Provosts are diverting limited resources to set up inadequately equipped new Satellite campuses, which is counterproductive and detrimental to educational standards,” the minister stated.

Alausa therefore, directed the NUC, NBTE and NCCE to “formally inform all Federal tertiary institutions under their purview that henceforth, no satellite campus is to be established without the express approval of the Minister of Education through these regulatory agencies.”

He also stressed that “Failure to comply with this directive will not be treated lightly and will attract appropriate disciplinary measures.”