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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has declared support for the establishment of several new specialised universities across Nigeria, stating that the move is vital to bridging educational gaps, promoting innovation, and ensuring regional equity in access to tertiary education.
He made this known yesterday at a public hearing organised by the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund on a number of tertiary education establishment bills. The Senate President was represented at the hearing by Deputy President Barau Jibrin.
Addressing stakeholders at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja, Akpabio described the bills as “timely and strategic in our collective drive to ensure inclusive, accessible, and relevant education for all Nigerians.”
The bills under consideration at the public hearing include the Federal University of Education (Special), Oyo (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Health Sciences, Funtua, Katsina State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State (Establishment) Bill, 2024; Federal University of Geomatics, Oyo, Oyo State (Establishment) Bill, 2025; Federal University of Technology and Vocational Studies, Yaba, Lagos State (Establishment) Bill, 2025; and Federal University of Technology, Omoku, Rivers State (Amendment) Bill, 2025.
“These Bills reflect our recognition of the critical need to address gaps in specialised education, create opportunities for innovation and skills development, and promote regional balance in access to quality tertiary education.”
Akpabio emphasised that Nigeria’s growing population demands expanded investment in human capital, particularly through institutions that train skilled professionals in health, technology, education, and vocational fields.
“Nigeria is at a pivotal point in its development journey. Our population continues to grow and so must our investments in human capital.”
He added that the proposed institutions are designed to prepare a future workforce capable of driving innovation and transforming the nation’s economic prospects.
“The inclusion of specialised institutions like the proposed University of Education (Special), Oyo and the University of Geomatics highlights our intention to cater to specific educational and developmental needs,” Akpabio said. “A prosperous Nigeria must be powered by a generation skilled in both theoretical knowledge and practical application.”
The Senate president also commended Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Muntari Dandutse, and other members of the committee for organising the public hearing and involving relevant stakeholders in the legislative process.
“Public participation in lawmaking is a constitutional imperative and a democratic best practice,” he said. “It ensures that all stakeholders — from the academic community to civil society and the private sector — contribute meaningfully to shaping legislation that will define our nation’s future.”
Akpabio stressed that the effort to establish new universities must go beyond the construction of campuses and expansion of infrastructure.
“These initiatives are not just about constructing new campuses or expanding infrastructure. They are about empowering minds, igniting innovation, and nurturing national unity through equitable access to educational opportunities.”
He charged lawmakers and stakeholders to ensure the proposed institutions are sustainable, well-funded, and designed to meet the evolving demands of 21st-century education.
“The task before us is to ensure that these institutions, once established, are not only sustainable but also adequately funded, effectively governed, and tailored to meet the dynamic needs of the 21st-century learner.”
Akpabio declared the hearing officially open and encouraged robust and constructive deliberations that would lay a strong legislative foundation for the future of Nigeria’s education sector.
“Let us together lay a strong legislative foundation for an inclusive and resilient education sector that serves as the bedrock of national development,” he concluded.
The event was attended by vice chancellors, officials from the Nigerian Universities Commission, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders in the education sector.