The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education, declaring that any satellite campus established without proper approval will face strict sanctions. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, raised alarm over the increasing trend of unauthorized satellite campuses, describing it as harmful to the nation’s education standards. In a memo dated May 30, 2025, and addressed to the Executive Secretaries of the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE, the minister condemned the practice, noting that many of these new campuses lack the academic, strategic, and infrastructural foundation to function effectively.
Dr. Alausa stressed that the proliferation of these unapproved campuses undermines the integrity and sustainability of tertiary education in Nigeria. He criticized the heads of some institutions for diverting limited resources away from improving existing campuses to set up inadequately equipped new ones. This, he said, is not only counterproductive but also detrimental to the overall quality of education. He emphasized the importance of maintaining high standards and consolidating existing structures rather than engaging in expansion without proper planning.
As part of the new directive, the Minister ordered the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) to formally notify all federal tertiary institutions that no satellite campus should be established without prior approval from the Minister through the appropriate regulatory agency. Alausa made it clear that any violation of this directive would attract disciplinary measures, reinforcing the government’s commitment to quality assurance and regulation in the education sector.
