Nigerian University's Staff-Student Ratio Raises Concerns

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has highlighted inefficiencies in Nigeria's tertiary education system, citing a federal university with approximately 1,200 staff members despite having fewer than 800 students. This example illustrates the broader issue of wasteful resource allocation in the sector.

To address these challenges, the federal government has imposed a seven-year ban on establishing new federal tertiary institutions. Minister Alausa emphasized that the decision aims to improve the quality of existing institutions rather than expanding access. The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has been directed to focus on rehabilitating existing infrastructure in 2025, rather than funding new projects.

Nigeria's tertiary education sector faces significant funding challenges. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has repeatedly expressed concerns over underfunding, which has led.

Minister Alausa argued that the current challenge in Nigeria's education sector is not about access but quality. He emphasized the need to redirect resources toward strengthening existing institutions rather than creating new ones. Over 200 bills seeking to establish federal universities are currently before the National Assembly, which the minister believes is unnecessary given the current state of tertiary education.