Professor Tunji Olaopa, Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) in Abuja, has strongly criticized the unchecked proliferation of universities in Nigeria, labeling it as a “criminal” act by the National Universities Commission (NUC). Prof. Olaopa expressed his concerns during the 16th convocation lecture at Lead City University in Ibadan.
In his lecture titled “The Renewed Hope Agenda and the Imperative of Repositioning Nigerian Universities,” Prof. Olaopa highlighted the negative consequences of the unbridled establishment of universities without adequate funding arrangements. He lamented that the mushrooming of universities has undermined the core purpose of higher education in molding and preparing the best minds for the nation’s workforce.
According to Prof. Olaopa, the lack of intellectual and empirical inputs in policy-making processes has led to incoherent education policies. He emphasized that tertiary institutions’ connection to human capital development has suffered due to this lack of solid policy intelligence.
The chairman pointed out that the unchecked proliferation of universities, whether public or private, has been politicized, resulting in the establishment of institutions that may not meet the required standards. He particularly criticized the establishment of private universities driven primarily by commercial agendas and profit motives.
