Lagos Federal University Approved Before FEC Moratorium, Confirms FG

The Federal Government has clarified that the newly approved Federal University of Science and Technology in Epe, Lagos State, received Presidential approval before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) imposed a seven-year moratorium on the establishment of new federal tertiary institutions.

Speaking on the matter, the Minister of Education, Adamu Alhassan, explained that the approval for the Lagos federal university, along with two others in Kachia, Kaduna State, and Ogoniland, Rivers State, was granted via a Presidential Executive Memo prior to the moratorium. “These universities were approved before the FEC’s directive. Their creation does not violate the moratorium,” the minister emphasized The moratorium, announced recently by the federal government, imposes a seven-year ban on the creation of new federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Officials cited the proliferation of underutilized institutions, low student enrolment in some, and excessive staff costs as the driving reasons behind the move. The government said the measure is aimed at consolidating resources, improving quality, and ensuring the sustainability of existing institutions. While the approval of the Epe university was granted before the moratorium, the government noted that its operationalization will depend on subsequent steps, including National Assembly legislation, infrastructure development, and staffing. The delay in public announcement, according to sources, was due to the timing of the bill’s passage and the National Assembly recess. Education stakeholders have welcomed the clarification, noting that the move balances the need for expanding access to higher education with the imperative to improve institutional quality. Prospective students in Lagos State are now assured of increased federal tertiary education opportunities without breaching the government’s policy on the moratorium. The Federal Government’s decision underscores a strategic shift in the nation’s higher education policy from indiscriminate expansion to consolidation and quality assurance. While the moratorium remains in force for all other prospective federal institutions, the approval of Epe and the other two universities signals a clear message that projects in motion prior to the policy change will proceed as planned. As implementation begins, stakeholders will be closely monitoring the development of the Lagos federal university, with particular attention on programme offerings, infrastructure development, and potential collaboration with local and international academic partners.