The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has called for an immediate overhaul of infrastructure at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE), saying Nigeria cannot afford to neglect an institution critical to the development of manpower for the oil and gas sector.
Chairman of the committee, Abubakar Fulata, made the call on Friday during an inspection tour of federal universities in the South-South.
Fulata said FUPRE, despite its specialised mandate, continues to battle inadequate funding, outdated facilities and weak research support—problems that mirror the broader crisis affecting federal universities nationwide.
“By its mandate, FUPRE should be one of the best-equipped universities in the country. But like many others, it is hampered by poor funding and obsolete facilities,” he said.
Nigeria’s federal universities have long struggled with deteriorating infrastructure, overcrowded classrooms and obsolete laboratories as a result of years of chronic underfunding.
Budgetary allocations to the sector remain below UNESCO’s recommended benchmark.
Fulata stressed that the committee’s visits were aimed at ensuring accountability and drawing national attention to the funding gaps in tertiary education.
He urged the Federal Government, intervention agencies and oil and gas industry players to increase investments in specialised universities, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act.
FUPRE Vice Chancellor, Prof. Ezekiel Ogden, told the lawmakers that the university requires dedicated funding befitting its specialised status.
He also requested full implementation of the school’s Establishment Act, including improved remuneration to attract top researchers. Ogden further appealed for deeper collaboration between the university and oil and gas companies.
Meanwhile, the committee has summoned the Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT), Prof. Owunari Georgewill, and his management team over alleged non-compliance with the Appropriation Act, breach of federal character principles, and failure to provide documents on the institution’s 2023–2025 budget implementation.
Fulata expressed displeasure over the VC’s repeated absence during oversight visits.
“We visited UNIPORT last year and the Vice Chancellor was nowhere to be found. We returned this year and he was again unavailable, offering flimsy excuses,” he said. “No relevant documents were provided regarding the management of the university from 2023 to date.”
The committee also invited the Vice Chancellor of the University of Uyo, Prof. Nyaudoh Ukpabio Ndaeyo, to explain discrepancies in the institution’s student population data, with records showing conflicting figures of 73,000 and 42,000.
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Lawmakers expressed concern over what they described as excessive spending on local and international travel by officials of the Federal University of Technology, Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State.
They urged the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Leo Daniel, to prioritise academic and infrastructural development over non-core expenditures.
Fulata reiterated the committee’s commitment to strengthening accountability and restoring standards across Nigeria’s higher education system.
“The 10th House of Representatives is committed to improving the standard of education in this country,” he said.