Tinubu approved Epe, Kachia, Ogoniland varsities before 7-year ban – Minister

The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe, Lagos State, was granted before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) imposed a seven-year suspension on creating new federal tertiary institutions. It was further learnt that the same executive memo that […]

The Federal Ministry of Education has clarified that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s approval for the establishment of the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe, Lagos State, was granted before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) imposed a seven-year suspension on creating new federal tertiary institutions.

It was further learnt that the same executive memo that approved the Epe university also included approvals for the Federal University of Science and Technology, Kachia, Kaduna State, and the Federal University of Environment and Technology, Tai and Koroma, Ogoniland, Rivers State.

Earlier reports by Daily Trust had indicated that the President approved the Epe university’s establishment after the moratorium, raising questions about policy inconsistency.

However, the ministry explained that the approval was contained in an executive memo signed months before the FEC’s decision.

Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had previously emphasized that the moratorium was necessary to tackle infrastructural deficits, underutilization, and declining academic standards in existing institutions.

“Several federal universities operate far below capacity, with some having fewer than 2,000 students,” he said. “If we want to improve quality and not be a laughing stock globally, the pragmatic step is to pause new institutions.”

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced during last week Thursday’s plenary session that President Tinubu had signed the Federal University of Science and Technology, Epe (Establishment) Bill 2025 into law.

According to Alausa, the delay in announcing the university’s establishment was purely procedural. The Senate had gone on its annual recess before the bill’s final passage, which delayed its formal transmission to the President.

Tinubu eventually signed it into law earlier this month, formalizing the university’s legal status.

The specialized university will focus on emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, software engineering, data science, and other STEM disciplines, aligning with Nigeria’s digital economy goals and the growing industrial corridor around Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.

“The Federal Government remains fully committed to enforcing the seven-year moratorium on establishment of new federal tertiary institutions, and this moratorium remains sacrosanct,” stated Folasade Boriowo, Director of Press and Public Relations at the Ministry.

The clarification reaffirms that only universities approved before the moratorium—like Epe—fall outside the freeze, which will remain in effect until at least 2032 unless the FEC decides otherwise.