ABUJA (CONVERSEER) – The Federal Government has issued a strong warning to all Federal Universities, Polytechnics, and Colleges of Education in Nigeria against the unauthorised establishment of satellite campuses.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, in a memo dated 30th May 2025 and signed by Boriowo Folasade (Director of Press and Public Relations), directed that no Federal Tertiary Institution is permitted to open any new satellite campus without obtaining express approval through their respective regulatory agencies — the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
Addressed to the Executive Secretaries of the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE, the Minister’s memo raised concerns over what he described as an “unregulated and unjustified” increase in satellite campuses by Federal Tertiary Institutions. He noted that many of these campuses lack the academic, strategic, and infrastructural capacity required to justify their operations.
Dr Alausa stated that the trend poses a significant threat to the integrity and quality of Nigeria’s higher education system. “Rather than focusing on improving existing campuses, some Vice Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts are diverting limited resources to set up inadequately equipped new satellite campuses, which is counterproductive and detrimental to educational standards,” he said.
The Education Minister tasked the regulatory agencies to notify all institutions under their supervision of the directive, stressing that any breach would attract strict disciplinary action.
“The proliferation of unapproved satellite campuses undermines the sustainability of our tertiary education framework,” the memo read.
Reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to quality education, Dr Alausa emphasised that expansion within the sector must be strategic, well-resourced, and in line with national development objectives.