The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to federal universities against establishing satellite campuses without proper authorization, threatening to impose tough sanctions on violators.

Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, communicated this directive on Wednesday through a memo sent to the National Universities Commission (NUC), emphasizing the government's commitment to restoring quality and integrity in Nigeria's tertiary education system.

Unauthorized Campus Proliferation

"There has been a noticeable and concerning trend of federal universities establishing satellite campuses across the country. Many of these campuses are created without clear strategic, academic, or infrastructural justifications," Alausa stated in the memo.

The minister has instructed the NUC to inform all federal universities that no satellite campus should be established without prior approval from the ministry through the Executive Secretary of the Commission. He emphasized that failure to comply with this directive would result in sanctions.

History of Regulatory Challenges

BenriNews recalls that numerous satellite campuses have been established across Nigeria in recent years, many of which have operated in violation of NUC guidelines and regulations. The university regulatory body had previously banned such unauthorized campuses and even established a committee tasked with identifying, locating, and prosecuting these illegal operations.

This latest move by the Federal Government appears to be part of broader efforts to standardize and improve the quality of university education in Nigeria, addressing concerns about the dilution of academic standards through unregulated expansion.

Education stakeholders have long expressed concerns about the proliferation of satellite campuses, many of which lack adequate facilities, qualified academic staff, and proper oversight, potentially compromising the quality of education received by students.