Crackdown On Illegal Satellite Campuses: Education Minister Warns Federal Universities

The Federal Government has announced strict penalties for any federal university that sets up a satellite campus without prior approval from the Minister of Education.
 

This directive was issued by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, in a memo sent to the National Universities Commission (NUC) on May 30, 2025. The memo, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, underscores the government’s commitment to restoring the integrity and quality of tertiary education in the country.
 

Dr. Alausa instructed the NUC to formally notify all federal universities that establishing satellite campuses without prior clearance from the ministry—via the NUC Executive Secretary—is prohibited. He warned that institutions found in violation would face sanctions.
 

“There is a troubling trend where federal universities are creating satellite campuses across the country, often without sound academic, strategic, or infrastructural justification,” the minister stated. He further criticized some university vice-chancellors for prioritizing the creation of new, poorly resourced campuses instead of expanding and strengthening their existing ones. “This undermines the quality, integrity, and sustainability of Nigeria’s tertiary education system,” he added.
 

This move follows a history of non-compliance, with several universities previously establishing such campuses against existing regulations and NUC guidelines. The NUC has consistently maintained that unapproved satellite campuses are banned.
 

In response to the issue, the NUC had previously set up a committee to locate and shut down illegal universities and campuses. The committee was reconstituted in 2021 and recorded what the commission described as significant success in curbing the proliferation of unapproved institutions.
(NAN)