A researcher in higher education management, Professor Mustapha Arikewuyo, has bemoaned the proliferation of universities in Nigeria, wondering if the nation had not reached the point where it should be asking whether it “is a curse or a blessing.”
Arikewuyo expressed the worry that if the trend was not checked, it would hurt both the quality and quantity of their products as evidenced in the past NEEDS Assessment of public universities in Nigeria.
He explained that the data from the assessment revealed among other things, inadequate teaching and learning facilities, obsolete labs and workshops, no cutting – edge research facilities and no lab, workshop or library ranked among the top 1,000 in the world about a decade ago.
He said the concern becomes necessary considering that as of February this year, a Bill proposing additional 47 universities for the country had scaled second reading in the House of Representatives, stressing that if it’s eventually signed into Law, it means each State of the federation would have one more Federal University when States such as Osun, Kaduna, Katsina and Borno already have two universities each.
Arikewuyo made this known yesterday while delivering the 120th inaugural lecture of the Olabisi Onabanjo University OOU Ago Iwoye titled, “From One to Two Hundred and Sixty Two: Navigating the Sustainability Question in the Proliferation of Universities in Nigeria,” which was chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola.
Referencing data from JAMB, Arikewuyo said even with the 52 federal universities, 63 States and 147 private varsities respectively in the country as of December 2023, he lamented that they have not been able to admit up to 40 percent of the admission seekers.
He stressed that rather than establish additional universities, the carrying capacity of the existing ones could be expanded, such that they would be able to admit the entire quota allocated to them by JAMB.
He blamed the military for the proliferation through policy somersault and creation of more states with the attendant creation of more public universities.
He particularly cited General AbdulSalami Abubakar as one who opened the floodgate for private varsities when in the twilight of his administration, he granted operating licences for three private universities – Igbinedion University Okada, Backcock University Ilisan and Madona University Okija.
According to him, when the military eventually retreated in 1999, individuals and politicians in government took cues from them and began to establish universities, even for outright “political considerations.”
He said, “If as at today, all the Universities cannot admit the Quota allocated to them, is there a justification for the proliferation of universities in Nigeria?
“Perhaps there is also the need to check the proliferation of universities, especially in the area of quality. Experience has shown that quality may be affected if the number of universities is not checked. The provision of adequate human resources has been a major challenge in the Nigerian University system. The private Universities are mostly affected.”
