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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.
A building has collapsed at 333 Borno Way, Alagomeji, in the Ebute Meta area of Lagos, Nigeria, sparking urgent rescue and emergency response efforts.
The incident occurred today, September 15 and emergency services have since been deployed to the scene. The exact cause of the collapse is still under investigation, and it remains unclear how many people may be trapped or injured.
Dr. Femi Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), has urged members of the public and concerned relatives to contact him directly for verified information and updates regarding the ongoing situation.
Residents are strongly advised to steer clear of the area to allow emergency crews full access for rescue operations.
More details to follow as the story develops.
News
Abimbola Adebisi is new PPRO Lagos Command
Adebisi brings “a wealth of academic, professional, and operational experience” into her new role.
•Abimbola Adebisi
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has approved the appointment of Superintendent of Police Abimbola Adebisi as the new Police Public Relations Officer for the Lagos State Command.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Babasayi Oluseyi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, the Command said Adebisi brings “a wealth of academic, professional, and operational experience” into her new role.
The new PPRO holds a BA (Ed) in English Language and Literature from Tai Solarin University of Education, a Postgraduate Diploma in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution, and a Master of Arts (MA) in English Language from the National Open University of Nigeria.
Her appointment comes after the previous spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin was promoted to the position of the Force Public Relations Officer.
The statement further noted her professional training, “She has a Certificate in Child Protection from the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, Accra, Ghana, alongside certifications in Human Rights, Human Psychology, and Conflict Management.“
She has equally attended the Advanced Detective Course at the Police Staff College, Jos.”
Image credit : Reuters
Guinness World Record on Monday officially confirmed Nigerian celebrity chef Hilda Baci’s largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, with a staggering total weight of 8,780 kilogrammes (19,356 lb 9 oz).
Announcing the confirmation via X (formerly Twitter), Guinness World Records wrote: “New record: Largest serving of Nigerian style jollof rice – 8,780 kg (19,356 lb 9 oz) achieved by Hilda Baci and Gino in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.
The feat was accomplished in partnership with food brand Gino at Victoria Island, Lagos, and has now been formally recognized by Guinness World Records.
Baci, who first rose to global fame with her headline-grabbing cook-a-thon in 2023, has once again placed Nigerian cuisine on the world stage with this remarkable achievement.
Ahead of the confirmation, Guinness World Records had sent her words of encouragement, reposting a video from the Friday event and writing:“What’s cookin’?
Best of luck to @hildabacicooks who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice today.
The record-breaking cooking event was held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, attracting a massive crowd of supporters, celebrities, and food enthusiasts who gathered to witness history being made.
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