President Bola Tinubu and Nigeria’s National Assembly have reignited a longstanding issue in the country’s education sector — the reckless expansion of federal universities without adequate planning or funding. This came to the forefront again in late June 2025 when the House of Representatives passed the second reading of a bill proposing the establishment of a Federal University of Oil and Gas Technology in Igbokoda, Ondo State.

While the bill’s sponsor, Donald Ojogo, insisted the institution would help develop skilled manpower for the oil and gas sector, many experts argue that this initiative mirrors previous blunders that undermined Nigeria’s higher education system. Instead of progress, the bill sets the stage for more stagnation.

Unplanned Expansion Weakens Quality and Mission

Ojogo claimed the new university would train graduates, technicians, and craftsmen to support Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. However, creating more universities without corresponding investments in infrastructure and funding only dilutes the core objectives of higher institutions — namely, teaching, research, and community service.

Rather than empowering students and educators, this unplanned expansion weakens the already fragile system. As a result, the vision of nurturing globally competitive graduates remains a mirage, and Nigeria appears to lack a clear strategic blueprint for building a knowledge-driven future.

Neglected Institutions and Brain Drain Plague the System

In truth, few Nigerian universities have produced cutting-edge research or made notable contributions to society in the last 30 years. A significant number of talented lecturers have migrated abroad in search of better opportunities, driven out by poor remuneration and substandard working conditions.

The trend of excessive university creation began during the Goodluck Jonathan administration and became more widespread under Muhammadu Buhari. Unfortunately, both administrations prioritized political gains over quality education. The universities created during their tenures often served as political favors rather than responses to national needs.

Tinubu Administration Adds More Without Strategy

Since taking office two years ago, President Tinubu has continued the same pattern. His government has created more than a dozen new universities, renamed some existing ones, and shows no signs of slowing down. This aggressive expansion continues despite Nigeria’s harsh economic realities and the absence of a viable funding model for public universities.

In some cases, the government has even converted polytechnics and colleges of education — originally designed to produce middle-level manpower — into full-fledged universities. These upgrades often ignore established education policies and worsen the problem of overstretching limited resources.

Overcrowding Without Resources: 274 Universities and Counting

As of February 2025, Nigeria had 274 universities, including 126 public institutions. Despite the growing number, most federal and state universities remain trapped in neglect, infrastructural decay, and chronic underfunding.

Rather than improve existing institutions, the government keeps opening new ones without addressing basic needs like libraries, laboratories, or staff welfare. For instance, in the 2024 national budget, education received only N2.18 trillion — roughly 7.9 percent of total spending. This allocation falls far short of the 35 percent benchmark set during Obafemi Awolowo’s leadership in the defunct Western Region (1954–1959).

Utilities Disconnected as Schools Drown in Debt

The impact of underfunding has become visible. In August 2024, the University of Lagos was disconnected by Eko Electricity Distribution Company over an unpaid electricity bill totaling N472 million. The University College Hospital in Ibadan also experienced over 100 days of blackout for similar reasons.

Despite these grim realities, the federal government continues to approve more universities. These additions, introduced into a collapsing system, do little to improve learning or innovation.

Dilapidated Libraries, Empty Labs, and Striking Unions

University libraries across Nigeria are outdated and understocked. Laboratories lack essential equipment, making it nearly impossible for students to carry out practical work. Lecturers, facing poor wages and inadequate working conditions, frequently go on strike under the banners of academic unions like ASUU and NASU.

Due to these issues, Nigerian universities have performed dismally in global rankings. Over the past three years, none of Nigeria’s 297 universities made it into the top 1,000 universities in the QS World Rankings. Clearly, the focus should be on rebuilding rather than expanding.

Unfulfilled Promises and a Broken Agreement with ASUU

One of the most glaring examples of the government’s neglect is its failure to implement a 2009 Memorandum of Understanding with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU). That agreement pledged N1.2 trillion to fund public universities over several years. However, successive administrations have failed to meet their obligations, instead channeling efforts into creating new institutions.

This background highlights the deep contradictions in current policy. Rather than invest in building excellence within existing universities, the government is repeating the same flawed strategy that led to the sector’s decline in the first place.

Proposed Oil and Gas University: A Redundant Project

The Federal University of Oil and Gas Technology (FUOGT) proposed for Igbokoda is not Nigeria’s first oil-focused institution. The University of Petroleum Resources in Effurun, Delta State, already offers specialized education in that sector. Moreover, several conventional universities across the country run departments and faculties dedicated to petroleum engineering, oil and gas management, and energy studies.

Therefore, establishing another oil and gas university represents a duplication of effort — and a wasteful one at that. It would be far more cost-effective to strengthen relevant departments within existing universities.

A Smarter Way Forward: Consolidate, Don’t Proliferate

Instead of this uncontrolled proliferation, the federal and state governments must adopt a smarter approach. They should pause the creation of new institutions and focus on rehabilitating existing ones. Where specialized training is needed, the government should establish dedicated colleges or faculties within established universities. This approach would reduce cost, maximize resource use, and align with the country’s difficult economic situation.

If Nigeria hopes to reclaim any global relevance in education, it must reverse course immediately. The government needs to halt these unsustainable expansions and commit to funding and upgrading the universities it already operates. Only then can Nigeria hope to produce graduates and research worthy of global recognition.