The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Professor Ishaq Oloyede, has stated that Nigeria does not need more universities, arguing that expanding existing institutions is a better approach to addressing admission challenges.
Speaking in an interview on Channels TV, Oloyede dismissed the notion that creating more universities would solve the issue of limited admission spaces. Instead, he emphasized the need for capacity expansion in federal universities to accommodate more students.
“It’s neither here nor there. Those who say we need more universities have their reasons, but they are very simplistic in their analyses,” he said.
Expanding Existing Universities Over Creating New Ones
Oloyede suggested that instead of establishing new universities, the government should increase the intake capacity of current institutions.
Using the University of Ibadan as an example, he explained that while its medical school may only admit 200 students due to limited facilities, an expansion could allow it to take 600 or even 800 students.
“If you establish 10 new universities today, even if they are specialized colleges, they might only be able to admit 200 students each after 10 years. But if you expand existing universities, they can take in what two or three new institutions would.”
According to Oloyede, while establishing new universities has political advantages, the real solution to improving access to higher education lies in strengthening and expanding the capacity of already established institutions.
Advocating for Sharia Courts in the South-West
During the interview, Oloyede, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), spoke on the importance of Sharia courts in the South-West region.
He argued that many Muslims in the region struggle with legal disputes involving Islamic marriages because they have to rely on customary courts, which do not apply Islamic laws.
“If there is a dispute in my marriage, where do I go? I will have to go to a customary court where the judge knows next to nothing about my faith or the laws on which my marriage was based.”
He noted that Nigeria’s constitution allows for the creation of Sharia Courts of Appeal, as long as the state assembly approves it, making the case for their establishment in the region.
The Politics of New Universities
Oloyede acknowledged that the creation of universities has become a political tool, as it is often used to win public favor in different communities.
“Universities are now the only thing left to show that ‘we love you in this community’ because there are no factories. Universities appear to be the only valuable thing left.”
Despite the political benefits of opening new universities, he reiterated that expanding existing ones remains the most practical and efficient solution to increasing access to tertiary education in Nigeria.