Nigeria's university proliferation raises concerns about academic quality and graduate employability

Despite a rapid increase in institutions since 1960, World Bank assessments indicate that many graduates lack the competencies required for the job market. This proliferation is attributed to governments using university establishment as a political tool, often prioritizing ribbon-cutting over academic accountability. For instance, former President Goodluck Jonathan's administration approved nine new federal universities between 2011 and 2019.

The National Universities Commission's NUC accreditation reports reveal that many institutions, especially newer private and state-owned ones, operate without adequate laboratory facilities, qualified staff, or functional libraries. Chronic underfunding, evidenced by issues like unpaid lecturer salaries and non-existent research grants, further degrades instruction quality, contributing to perennial strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities ASUU. Consequently, no Nigerian university ranks within the top 1,000 globally, and employers frequently report the need for extensive remedial training for graduates.

The NUC's regulatory effectiveness is also compromised by political pressure, leading to new university approvals often bypassing rigorous quality assessment. To address these issues, immediate reforms are proposed: a moratorium on new university approvals until a credible audit of existing i