The Senate and the National Universities Commission (NUC) have reiterated the need for more universities in Nigeria to address the increasing demand for higher education.
The call was made during a public hearing yesterday in Abuja, organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND. The hearing focused on the proposed establishment of the Federal University, Okigwe, in Imo State.
In his opening remarks, Senator Muntari Dandutse, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFUND, emphasised the significance of expanding access to higher education nationwide.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Patrick Ndubueze and supported by Mr Chris Maiyaki, executive secretary of the NUC, stressed the urgent need to increase the number of universities to accommodate Nigeria’s growing population of prospective students.
During the hearing, Mr Maiyaki presented startling statistics, highlighting the inadequacy of the existing 275 public and private universities to meet the needs of over two million students seeking admission annually.
“Out of the two million prospective students, only 500,000 to 700,000 are admitted each year, leaving 1.3 million young Nigerians without access to university education. This creates a considerable gap and leads to significant frustrations,” Maiyaki stated.
He noted that Nigeria, with a population exceeding 200 million, has far fewer universities than countries with similar population sizes.
He cited Indonesia, which has about 2,000 universities, and Russia, Brazil, and India, which boast significantly higher numbers of tertiary institutions.
Maiyaki also assured stakeholders that the NUC is taking proactive measures to ensure the regulatory and capacity frameworks are in place to establish more universities.
Senator Ndubueze, speaking on the proposed Federal University, Okigwe, noted its potential to transform the town and provide a much-needed federal presence in the region.
He stated, “Okigwe remains the only province from the past that has not been accorded federal recognition or made the state’s capital. Establishing this university will correct that imbalance and bring development to the area.”
Various education stakeholders attended the public hearing, all of whom expressed support for establishing the Federal University, Okigwe, and the broader call for increased investment in tertiary education infrastructure across the country.
