The Senate has suspended the processing of bills seeking to establish new universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions, aligning its legislative activities with the Federal Government’s moratorium on additional higher institutions.
Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the directive during plenary on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, instructing the Clerk and relevant committees, particularly those overseeing education, to stop processing such proposals.
Bamidele urged lawmakers to prioritise strengthening existing institutions, acknowledging the pressure they sometimes face from colleagues seeking support for new universities.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, backed the decision, disclosing that President Bola Tinubu had discussed the matter with the National Assembly leadership and opposed establishing additional tertiary institutions for the next five to seven years.
Akpabio said the restriction would allow existing institutions to address infrastructure gaps and improve their academic operations.
He expressed concern that some recently established universities were yet to become fully operational, with some lacking permanent campuses or completing essential site-clearance procedures.
He stressed that establishing a university required adequate planning and investment, adding that further expansion should not take precedence over developing existing institutions.
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Akpabio also emphasised the need to maintain geographical balance in the distribution of universities across the country.
He consequently directed the Clerk to ensure that bills proposing new tertiary institutions were excluded from the Senate’s legislative schedule.
The decision follows successive Federal Government measures to curb the proliferation of tertiary institutions and improve existing facilities.
In August 2025, the Federal Executive Council approved a seven-year moratorium on establishing new federal universities, polytechnics and colleges of education over concerns about inadequate infrastructure, duplication and low student enrolment.
On March 4, 2026, the government announced a broader six-year moratorium covering the establishment of new tertiary institutions.
Earlier, the National Universities Commission had suspended the processing of fresh applications for private universities for one year, beginning February 10, 2025, to review the requirements for establishing such institutions.
The Senate adjourned plenary until Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at 11 a.m.