By Ameh Gabriel
EDUCATIOBN-ABUJA NIGERIA— The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has issued a firm directive to all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, warning that any satellite campus established without prior approval will face strict sanctions.
The warning was conveyed in a memo dated May 30, 2025, addressed to the Executive Secretaries of the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
Dr. Alausa expressed deep concern over the growing number of unauthorized satellite campuses being set up by tertiary institutions across the country. According to him, many of these campuses are established without adequate academic justification, strategic planning, or infrastructural support.
“The unchecked proliferation of unapproved satellite campuses threatens the quality, integrity, and sustainability of Nigeria’s higher education system,” the Minister stated. “Instead of consolidating and improving the standards of existing campuses, some Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, and Provosts are diverting scarce resources to launch poorly equipped satellite campuses, which undermines our national education goals.”
The Minister has now directed the three regulatory bodies NUC, NBTE, and NCCE to notify all federal tertiary institutions under their supervision that no satellite campus may be established without explicit approval from the Minister of Education, granted through the appropriate regulatory agency.
He warned that any institution found violating this directive will face disciplinary action.
Dr. Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Ministry of Education’s commitment to enforcing standards and ensuring that every expansion within the tertiary education sector is strategically guided, adequately funded, and aligned with the broader objectives of national development.
