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JUST IN: FG opposes N/Assembly’s proposals for 200 new varsities

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The federal government has expressed opposition to the proposals by the National Assembly for creation of nearly 200 new universities in the country.

It said with almost 200 bills in the National Assembly for establishment of new universities, there is a growing concern that the system is becoming overwhelmed.

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, stated this in Abuja yesterday during the third edition of the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing.

The country currently has 278 universities, 64 of which are federal; 67, state; and 147, private.

The government had, last month, announced a one-year moratorium on the establishment of new private universities “to enhance the quality and sustainability of private universities, ensuring that only institutions with the necessary financial and academic capacity are granted licenses.”

The minister yesterday emphasised that strengthening the capacities of the existing universities is more important than establishing new ones.

He said: “They (lawmakers) are passing a lot of bills. Today, I can tell you that there are almost 200 bills in the National Assembly. We can’t continue like this.

Even though we have a lot of them, the capacity for a university to admit is not there. What we need to do now is to rebuild the capacities so that we can offer more viable courses to our citizens.

“We need to stop this (the 200 bills for new universities) from happening. There is so much pressure on the president. We have to, at least, be sensitive to it as well.

“I understand the sentiment of our legislators. They want to show that they are working. We know they are working. But then, we have enough assets, we have enough opportunities out there for students to go to universities.

“What we now need to do is to begin to mobilise more resources to develop infrastructures, build engineering workshops, build laboratories in these universities, recruit international standard teachers, so that we can begin to get these universities to develop, to deliver high quality of education that will be known for as a country.

“Today, if you care to know, we have 64 federal universities, 67 state universities and 147 private universities.

If you look at the entire enrolment together, the private universities account for just 7.5% of total undergraduate enrolment.

I will tell you the meaning of the number. The total number of undergraduate enrolments today is just about 875,000, which is, at least, fairly low.

“We have universities with less than 1,000 undergraduate students, and there is this intense demand for more universities to be opened. We have to stop that.”

however, it is not only the legislators that are obsessed with pushing for the establishing of universities as constituency project or for status symbol.

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BUK expels 171 students for admission frauds

The affected students cut across different departments and levels, describing the action as part of efforts to sanitise its academic records

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The Senate of Bayero University Kano has approved the expulsion of 171 students over falsification of admission entry qualifications.

In a statement published in the university’s weekly bulletin on Friday, said that the decision was taken during the Senate’s 433rd meeting held on March 4, 2026.

It said that following an investigation by the Senate’s Committee on Entry Qualification Irregularities, the affected students were found to have presented falsified credentials during their admission processes.

The university noted that the offence constitutes a violation of Section 20.7, Category A (vii) of its General Examinations and Academic Regulations, which prescribes expulsion for such misconduct.

It added that the affected students cut across different departments and levels, describing the action as part of efforts to sanitise its academic records.

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Tinubu renews determination to conquer insecurity nationwide

Tinubu revealed that security cooperation formed a major part of his recent engagements abroad, particularly during his visit to the United Kingdom, adding that his government was prepared to leverage Nigeria’s goodwill and existing credit lines to acquire the needed support.

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu said on Sunday that his administration is intensifying diplomatic engagements with world leaders to secure critical equipment and training support for Nigeria’s security and intelligence agencies as part of a renewed push to end insecurity across the country.

He disclosed this while receiving state governors who paid him a courtesy visit his Ikoyi residence in Lagos, where he observed the Eid-el-Fitr holidays after returning from his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.

President Tinubu said that the discussions with international partners, including recent talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, were already yielding prospects for collaboration in strengthening Nigeria’s security architecture.

Tinubu revealed that security cooperation formed a major part of his recent engagements abroad, particularly during his visit to the United Kingdom, adding that his government was prepared to leverage Nigeria’s goodwill and existing credit lines to acquire the needed support.

“One of the major discussions in the UK is equipment and support. I can report to you that yesterday again, I had a lengthy discussion with Emmanuel Macron on their collaboration with us for equipment and support,” the President said.

He added that efforts were ongoing to reach out to other countries willing to assist Nigeria in combating insecurity through provision of modern tools and capacity building for security personnel.

“If we have to spend our goodwill and line of credit, we have those who are willing to support us with equipment and training,” Tinubu stated.

Describing insecurity as a direct threat to national development, the President stressed that tackling the menace remained a top priority for his administration, calling for collective action by all levels of government.

“Insecurity is an enemy of development, progress and prosperity. The next phase of our struggle is staring us in the face, and it is the challenge of insecurity in this country,” he said.

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Why I returned to school – Emir Sanusi

“A king who acquires education attains greater dignity, but a king without education—his entire kingship is worthless.”

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The 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has explained that his decision for returning to school to pursue an LL.B in Common Law and Shariah at Northwest University is aimed at inspiring others, rather than practicing law.

Emir Sanusi spoke during the traditional Sallah homage, Hawan Nassarawa, at the Kano Government House, emphasising that education should precede kingship.

“A king who acquires education attains greater dignity, but a king without education—his entire kingship is worthless,” he said.

The monarch praised the Kano State Government for prioritizing education, noting that 30 percent of the state budget has been allocated to the sector.

He also encouraged citizens to pursue further studies and support educational ambitions within their families, including those of their spouses.

” We appreciate the Governor for giving top priority to education. We have seen the impact through students’ performance in NECO, JAMB, and tertiary institutions. Whoever has not completed tertiary education should go back and do so,” he said.

Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, represented by Speaker Rt. Hon. Jibrin Falgore, commended Emir Sanusi for his support, describing him as a pillar of strength for the administration.

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