By Gabriella Ogbu
Inadequate finance remains a critical challenge for both public and private universities in Nigeria, according to the National Universities Commission (NUC). Addressing these concerns, Dr. Biodun Saliu, the commission’s deputy executive secretary, emphasized the need for substantial funding to support the universities’ core missions of teaching, research, and community service.
Speaking at Elizade University’s seventh annual registry lecture in Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, Saliu highlighted the theme, “The Nigerian University System and Its Many Challenges: The Way Forward.” He noted, “The yearly budgetary allocations released from their respective proprietors are wildly inadequate.” Saliu attributed the funding issues to low enrollment at private universities due to high tuition fees, institutional corruption, poor planning, low research income, and insufficient internal revenue generation. Public universities face similar challenges with low government/proprietor allocations and inadequate contributions from the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and alumni.
Saliu pointed out that all factors relevant to the quality delivery of university education, including the regulator’s quality assurance activities, perform below par due to inadequate funding. He stressed that adequate funding is essential to address the university system’s issues with staffing, pay, and research and development.
To resolve these problems, Saliu suggested better subvention to private institutions by their owners and improved budget allocations and releases from public university proprietors. He proposed that owners of private institutions should refrain from viewing their institutions as profit-making ventures for at least ten years. This approach would enable private universities to grow more effectively, resulting in more sustainable and profitable outcomes in the long run.
Prof. Bisi Balogun, the lecture chairman and former vice-chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, also emphasized the importance of efficient management techniques to mitigate the impacts of insufficient funding. He stated, “There is never enough money for any organization, but the negative impacts of insufficient funding can be lessened by putting good management practices in place. It is impossible to overstate the importance of stakeholders in the intervention processes.”
Both speakers underscored the urgent need for increased funding and efficient management to ensure the sustainable development of Nigerian universities.
