By Okolo Kaitochukwu
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced stringent measures against federal institutions establishing satellite campuses without prior approval. Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, emphasized that such unauthorized expansions compromise the quality and integrity of tertiary education. In a memo dated May 30, 2025, addressed to the National Universities Commission (NUC), Alausa directed that no satellite campus should be established without explicit approval from the ministry through the NUC’s Executive Secretary. He warned that non-compliance would attract sanctions.
Education analyst and former NERC chairman, Dr. Sam Amadi, discussed this development in an interview on Arise News. He acknowledged the government’s intent to uphold educational standards but cautioned against rigid regulatory approaches. Amadi highlighted the need for a more adaptive understanding of university education, aligning it with Nigeria’s developmental goals. Drawing parallels with East Asian models – where reforms integrated traditional values with modern skillsets – he stressed the importance of a balanced approach. According to him, “the old poor quality of maybe cramming books, reading old textbooks might not be the new quality that you measure the impact and the value of education in those satellites.” He argued that while the NUC should regulate and give necessary approvals, it must not insist on outdated formats, saying universities shouldn’t be forced to operate like ABU, UNN, UI, or UNILAG did two decades ago. Amadi advocated for a regulatory framework that allows innovation in educational formats while ensuring quality, noting that the world is changing, and educational standards must evolve accordingly.
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