Nigeria faces challenge of unfilled tertiary education spaces

An August 2026 policy brief by the Executive Director, iRead To Live Initiative, Jacob Sule, revealed that in 2025, 706,418 out of 1,716,154 approved admission places were left unfilled nationwide, representing over 40 percent of the capacity. Universities filled 74 percent of their slots, while other higher institutions utilized only 34 percent. The report highlighted that "Nigeria’s tertiary institutions did not run out of room in 2025."

Key reasons for this issue include inadequate funding, staffing shortages, and poor infrastructure. The annual budgetary allocation to education, including 74 federal universities, ranges between 5.0 and 8.0 percent, falling short of UNESCO's recommended 15-20 percent. This deficit, coupled with a lack of accommodation and brain drain among teaching staff due to poor pay, contributes to the problem.

The article emphasizes that these unfilled spaces signify human development deficiencies with severe implications for Nigeria's future competitiveness. It suggests that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, National Universities Commission, and other educational agencies need to collaborate, use performance data, and address data gaps to optimize admission processes. The proliferation of universities, particularly private ones, r