Nigeria’s public universities proceed to wrestle with declining tutorial requirements, insufficient amenities and frequent disruptions. But, amid these challenges, issues are rising over the extravagant existence of some college managers, sparking debate about governance and the true causes of the sector’s disaster.
Based on a report by SaharaReporters, a evaluation of Nigeria’s 2026 price range signifies that Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, earmarked N252 million for the acquisition of three luxurious automobiles for prime officers.
These automobiles are supposed for the college’s pro-chancellor and two principal officers. Going by the report, the college plans to spend a median of N84 million on every car.
Not lower than N96 million was allotted by the establishment for the completion and furnishing of the chancellor’s lodge.
Apart from, one other N21 million was put aside for the completion and furnishing of the pro-chancellor’s lodge.
The price range additionally makes provision for perimeter fencing of the college, which is projected to value N105 million within the 2026 fiscal yr. The fencing mission is listed as a part of the establishment’s capital expenditure for the yr.
Equally, the College of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), was stated to have expended a complete of N773 million on honoraria and different stipends in the course of the 2024 monetary yr, based on a evaluation of the establishment’s monetary assertion for the yr ended December 31, 2024.
The report additional revealed that the college spent a further N240 million on refreshments and meals throughout the interval, bringing whole expenditure on honoraria, stipends, and refreshments to N1.013 billion in 2024.
Regrettably, solely 10.7 p.c (N83 million) of what was spent on honoraria (N773 million) was channelled to direct educating and laboratory prices throughout the identical yr in view.
Learn additionally: How inadequate hostel space in public universities sends quivers on students
In the meantime, at Michael Okpara College of Agriculture, there are different initiatives demanding for consideration. The college allotted N350 million for the development of the 7.5-kilometre Oloko–Amizi Highway (Part II) situated in Abia Central.
This mission is captured as a part of the college’s capital growth plans for 2026, and the sum of N210 million for the development of the Nkukunmiri Ala Ala–Okeuzo Oloko Highway in Ikwuano Native Authorities Space of Abia State, amongst others.
Poor funding
Insufficient public funding stays a elementary problem for Nigerian universities. Authorities budgetary allocation to schooling constantly falls nicely beneath the UNESCO-recommended 26 p.c, usually round 7–8 p.c, resulting in a perennial funding hole in tertiary establishments.
Many public universities function with dilapidated buildings, overcrowded lecture halls, and outdated or non-functional laboratories.
Sensible workouts and experiential studying, notably in science, know-how, engineering, and drugs, are compromised as a result of gear shortages.
In some instances, college students watch demonstrations as a substitute of gaining hands-on expertise, which hinders talent acquisition.
Corruption in Nigeria’s Ivory Towers
Research have proven that public universities’ funds supposed for infrastructure, workers growth, analysis, and scholar help are sometimes mismanaged or misappropriated, decreasing sources out there for core tutorial features.
A SERAP report documented points similar to contract inflation, falsified outcomes, employment of unqualified workers, and sale of certificates throughout Nigerian tertiary establishments.
Friday Erhabor, director of media and techniques at Marklenez Restricted describes the event as unlucky
Erhabor emphasised it’s quite regrettably that the government-owned tertiary establishments lack probity and accountability.
“They’re on one hand demand for autonomy and but they lack transparency and accountability.
“Lots of public tertiary establishments don’t have audited report for greater than 5 years. These are folks which might be alleged to be function fashions,” he stated.
He famous that the Educational Employees Union of Universities ought to lead the battle in opposition to corruption within the college system and never nearly enhance in salaries.
“Allow them to battle in-house corruption throughout the college system,” he stated.
Nigerian universities function beneath extreme monetary constraints, with schooling funding far beneath worldwide benchmarks. Extravagant spending on luxurious automobiles, extreme allowances, and lavish ceremonies, amongst others will result in diverting scarce sources that may have been used for educating and studying infrastructure, analysis and innovation, and scholar help providers.
In an surroundings of shortage, each naira spent on non-essential objects worsens institutional decay.
