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JUST IN: FG opposes N/Assembly’s proposals for 200 new varsities
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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Ondo monarch gunned down outside palace
The armed men were said to have attempted to kidnap him but he refused, resulting to being shot.
•Kehinde Jacob Faledon
Kehinde Jacob Faledon, the traditional ruler of Agamo Community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State, has been shot dead.
Police Public Relations Officer in Ondo, Jimoh Abayomi, confirmed the incident, said that the monarch was killed after gunmen forced him out of the palace, on Wednesday night.
The armed men were said to have attempted to kidnap him but he refused, resulting to being shot.
“Information reached the division at about 7:50pm from a community leader, High Chief Ajewole Clement of New Town, Itaogbolu, that about six armed men stormed the residence of the monarch and forcibly took him away,” Abayomi said.
“The victim was subsequently found with gunshot injuries and was confirmed dead at the scene.
“The divisional police officer supported by tactical teams of the command, mobilised officers in collaboration with local hunters, Atuluse Security, and Amotekun operatives are combing the surrounding bushes and neighbouring communities.
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British Royal House Confers on Wale Edun “Commander of the Royal Victorian Order”
Acting on behalf of King Charles, Princess Catherine conferred the honour in recognition of distinguished personal service to the Crown.
The British Royal House has conferred the honour of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun.
The investiture at Windsor Castle carried a ceremony and symbolism.
Acting on behalf of King Charles, Princess Catherine conferred the honour in recognition of distinguished personal service to the Crown.
The award places Edun among a select group of global achievers whose public contributions transcend borders.
The ceremony also recognised Lydia Tischler, a Holocaust survivor and child psychotherapist; Rhys McClenaghan for services to gymnastics; and John Whiston for services to broadcasting and television.
Edun’s recognition resonated far beyond the grandeur of Windsor, highlighting the growing international regard for Nigeria’s reform leadership.
A former trustee of the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award, Edun’s career has long combined global engagement with institution-building.
Those same principles underpin his stewardship of Nigeria’s economy, where confidence, discipline, and consistency have become the defining themes of reform.
Since assuming office, Nigeria has begun to reverse years of macroeconomic fragility.
News
Senator Mpigi Dies at 64
His death makes it the fourth of serving senators to have passed on in the current Assembly senate since their inauguration in June 2023.
•Senator Barinada Mpigi
Senator Barinada Mpigi, the Chairman Senate Committee on Works who held the mandate of Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the 10th Assembly, is dead, aged 64.
His death makes it the fourth of serving senators to have passed on in the current Assembly senate since their inauguration in June 2023.
While he served, the late federal lawmaker made active contributions at plenary on issues of national development, especially in environmental governance in the Niger-Delta region.
Senator Mpigi, who was a close political ally to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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