Abuja, Nigeria – The Federal Executive Council has approved the restoration of the National Commission for Mass Literacy, Adult and Non-Formal Education as a full agency under the Federal Ministry of Education, while also endorsing a six-year moratorium on the establishment of new tertiary institutions across the country.
Okay News reports that Minister of Education Tunji Alausa disclosed the decisions after the council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja. He explained that the literacy commission, which had earlier been downgraded to a department, would regain its independent status due to its strategic importance in tackling Nigeria’s high illiteracy rate.
Alausa stated that President Tinubu’s expansive agenda aims to educate more than 50 million young adults over the next two to three years, noting that approximately 56 million Nigerians currently lack basic literacy skills. The commission, originally established in 2013, will intensify outreach in rural areas using radio, television, and community schools to reach millions of adults.
The minister further disclosed that the six-year moratorium on new universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education is intended to allow government focus on strengthening existing institutions rather than expanding numbers. Nigeria currently has 72 federal universities, 108 state universities, and 159 private universities, with data showing that while about 2.1 million students applied for tertiary education between 2024 and 2026, 199 universities recorded fewer than 99 applicants, and 34 universities had no applicants at all.
Alausa also announced that the council approved amendments to the National Postgraduate Medical College Act to recognise medical fellowships as equivalent to PhD qualifications, removing barriers for specialised doctors seeking academic advancement. This mass literacy commission restoration and institutional moratorium reflect the government’s focus on quality education and strategic resource allocation.
