The Senate has officially halted the consideration and processing of all pending bills seeking to establish new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country.
The legislative freeze aligns directly with the Federal Government’s policy implementing a five- to seven-year moratorium on the creation of new public tertiary institutions, aimed at prioritizing the development and funding of existing schools over expansion.
Announcing the decision during Wednesday’s plenary session in Abuja, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele confirmed that explicit instructions have been issued to the Clerk of the National Assembly and all relevant legislative committees to immediately cease work on such proposals.
This policy is designed to strengthen and consolidate our existing tertiary institutions before we consider establishing new ones, appealing to lawmakers to defer constituency requests for new federal institutions during this period.
Senator Bamidele Michael Opeyemi.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio emphasized that the measure follows direct engagements between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the National Assembly. He noted that the administration’s focus is to ensure that established institutions are properly funded, equipped with adequate infrastructure and fully operational before any new projects are undertaken.
Establishing a university is a serious national responsibility and should not be treated with the same simplicity as establishing primary schools. He highlighted that several recently created tertiary institutions currently exist largely on paper, lacking permanent sites or completed site clearances.
Senator Godswill Akpabio.
Senator Akpabio added that federal tertiary institutions have already been distributed across all regions of the country, making the consolidation of these existing investments the primary national priority.
Following the floor debate, the Senate President directed the Clerk to ensure that no further bills seeking the creation of new tertiary institutions are listed on the Order Paper henceforth.
The legislative ban impacts more than 200 bills currently before the National Assembly seeking the establishment of new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, all of which will now remain suspended. Following the announcement, plenary was adjourned until November 10.
