Senate halts processing of bills for new universities

The Senate has directed its committees and the Clerk to immediately suspend the processing of all bills seeking the establishment of new universities and other tertiary institutions, enforcing a Federal Government moratorium aimed at consolidating existing schools.

Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the position during Wednesday’s plenary, urging lawmakers to align with the executive decision to halt new tertiary institutions.

He explained that the pause is vital to ensure that existing federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges are adequately funded, equipped and strengthened.

Bamidele advised the Clerk of the Senate to properly guide lawmakers on the policy, noting that some legislators may be unaware of the government’s stance.

He also cautioned education committees against laying such proposals on the floor, acknowledging the pressure lawmakers often face when colleagues seek support for institution establishment bills in their constituencies.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio said President Bola Tinubu had met with National Assembly leadership to outline the strategic policy shift.

According to Akpabio, the President requested a five-to-seven-year moratorium on creating new tertiary institutions to allow the government to focus resources on upgrading existing infrastructure and bringing operational standards up to speed.

Highlighting the state of recent expansions, Akpabio observed that several newly established universities exist largely on paper without permanent sites or cleared operational land.

“Establishing a university is a serious national responsibility and should not be treated with the same simplicity as establishing primary schools,” Akpabio said.

He added that federal universities are national assets meant to serve students across all geopolitical zones.

He noted that with federal institutions already distributed across the country, the immediate priority must shift from expansion to consolidation and quality enhancement.

Akpabio directed the Clerk of the Senate to cease listing any new tertiary institution bills on the order paper for consideration.