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The Vice-Chancellor of Augustine University, Ilara-Epe, Lagos State, Rev. Father Professor Anthony Alaba Akinwale, OP, STM, has said Nigeria needs more universities to expand access to higher education and address the growing number of qualified candidates unable to secure admission.
Akinwale stated this on Tuesday during a press conference held on the university campus ahead of its 8th Convocation Ceremony scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026.
He disagreed with the argument that Nigeria has too many universities, explaining that the country’s population, estimated at about 230 million, requires a corresponding expansion of tertiary education opportunities.
According to him, increasing the number of universities, particularly private institutions, would help address educational exclusion and provide more young Nigerians with opportunities to develop their potential.
“I don’t think I agree with you that we have too many universities. We do need more because you have quite a number of highly qualified students who are unable to gain admission,” he said.
The vice-chancellor explained that universities operate within admission quotas approved by the National Universities Commission (NUC), while individual institutions must also consider their capacity to maintain academic standards.
He said universities might admit fewer students than their approved quotas when necessary to protect the quality of education, adding that the situation further demonstrated the need for more institutions.
Akinwale also questioned the establishment of universities as constituency projects by legislators, arguing that senators should concentrate on their legislative responsibilities rather than encroaching on the functions of the executive arm of government.
He, however, acknowledged the public enthusiasm that often accompanies the announcement of a university in a community, noting that the benefits of higher education extend beyond individual students to society at large.
The vice-chancellor called for an urgent review of the regulatory framework governing Nigerian universities, particularly the process of introducing and updating academic programmes.
He argued that excessive centralisation and lengthy approval procedures could prevent institutions from responding promptly to emerging developments in technology, society and the economy.
Using the United States as an example, Akinwale recalled that some American university professors developed courses to study the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks shortly after the incident, without seeking approval from the federal government in Washington.
He contrasted this with Nigeria, where universities must approach the NUC to secure approval for curriculum changes, a process he said could take considerable time.
“Updating curriculum is an endless exercise, and on that I think yes, we can update our curriculum,” he said.
He maintained that regulatory structures should enable universities to innovate and respond to local needs while ensuring that their academic programmes remain relevant internationally.
The cleric also linked the issue to what he described as the over-centralisation of governance in Nigeria, insisting that greater flexibility would enable universities to respond more effectively to changing realities.
Akinwale said universities must avoid concentrating exclusively on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) at the expense of the humanities and ethical education.
He maintained that while scientific and technological advancement was essential for economic development, education must also prepare students to understand human values, social responsibilities and the consequences of their actions.
According to him, Augustine University adopts an educational philosophy built around intellectual, technical and ethical formation, all supported by spiritual formation.
“At Augustine University, even if you are studying computer engineering, economics or whatever, we still bring you back to the humanities. The humanities represent the soul of education,” he said.
He warned that a system focused solely on producing technically skilled workers without developing their ethical competence could encourage corruption and other social problems.
The vice-chancellor explained that the university’s Catholic intellectual tradition emphasised the development of the whole person rather than merely training graduates to participate in production and consumption.
He said the institution sought to produce graduates who could contribute meaningfully to society while pursuing their individual aspirations.
The vice-chancellor also highlighted the financial challenges facing private universities, arguing that providing quality education requires substantial investment in personnel, laboratories, libraries, electricity and other essential facilities.
He disclosed that Augustine University spends at least N50 million monthly to provide electricity on its campus, as it does not rely on public power supply.
According to him, private universities do not receive government subsidies through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), leaving them to raise funds to sustain their operations.
While acknowledging the need to make education affordable, Akinwale said policymakers must also consider how to make quality education accessible to ordinary Nigerians.
He called for a national education summit to examine sustainable funding options and propose practical solutions to the challenges facing the sector.
Among the proposals he suggested was a student-voucher system through which government could provide financial support directly to students, allowing them to use the assistance towards tuition at their preferred institutions.
He argued that the role of government should be to create an enabling environment for citizens to thrive rather than assume sole responsibility for meeting every need.
Akinwale, however, acknowledged that scholarships provided by the Catholic Church and financially capable members of the Church had helped some Augustine University students meet their educational expenses.
The vice-chancellor announced that 194 students would graduate at the university’s 8th Convocation Ceremony on Thursday.
He said 24 students had earned First Class Honours, 88 would graduate with Second Class Upper Division, 73 with Second Class Lower Division, eight with Third Class Honours, while one student would graduate with a pass.
Miss Cecilia Isedoa Okojie, who studied Economics, emerged as the overall best graduating student and valedictorian with a Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 4.90.
Akinwale expressed confidence in the quality of education received by the graduating students, saying the university was committed to producing graduates capable of meeting Nigeria’s developmental needs.
He rejected the idea that the institution was merely adding to the number of unemployed graduates, citing reports of the competence demonstrated by its alumni in different sectors of the economy.
The vice-chancellor said the university’s objective was to develop technocrats, administrators and intellectuals who would contribute to transforming Nigeria.
He urged the graduating students to pursue personal success while working for the common good, stressing that individual progress should be connected to the welfare of society.
“Every human being will find his or her own good by working for the common good, and will work for the common good by working for his or her own good,” he said.
Akinwale added that the university’s educational mission was to help build a society where citizens were given the opportunity to flourish and realise their potential.
The 8th convocation, he said, would celebrate the academic achievements of the graduating students and the institution’s commitment to intellectual, technical and ethical education within the Catholic tradition.
