FG Warns Universities, Polytechnics to Shut Down All Unauthorized Satellite Campuses Immediately

The federal government has launched a nationwide clampdown on illegal satellite campuses operated by federal tertiary institutions, warning of disciplinary action for any breaches of approval guidelines.

Education Minister Maruf Tunji Alausa says unregulated expansion undermines academic standards and misuses resources, urging institutions to focus on quality and regulatory compliance.

The federal government has declared a crackdown on unauthorized satellite campuses run by federal tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa says the move is aimed at preserving academic standards and ensuring responsible resource management.

In a decisive move to uphold the integrity of Nigeria’s education system, the Federal Government has issued a stern warning to all federal universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education involved in the operation of unapproved satellite campuses.

The announcement was made through a memo dated May 30, 2025, signed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and addressed to key regulatory bodies, the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).

Dr. Alausa expressed grave concern about the unchecked spread of unauthorized campuses, describing it as an alarming trend that threatens the quality, integrity, and long-term sustainability of tertiary education in Nigeria. According to the minister, many of these satellite campuses are not backed by sufficient infrastructure, strategic planning, or academic resources.

“Rather than improving the capacity and quality of existing campuses, some institutions are using scarce resources to set up poorly equipped satellite centers,” Dr. Alausa noted. “This practice is not only unsustainable but also undermines national education goals.”

To address this issue, the minister directed the NUC, NBTE, and NCCE to formally instruct all institutions under their watch to immediately halt the creation of any new satellite campuses without explicit ministerial approval.

“Effective immediately, no federal tertiary institution is allowed to establish a satellite campus unless it receives official clearance through the appropriate regulatory agency and the Minister of Education,” he emphasized. “Violators of this directive will face strict disciplinary action.”

Satellite campuses are typically designed to expand access to education by allowing institutions to operate in different geographical locations. However, when set up without regulatory approval, these campuses are deemed illegal. They often lack the necessary infrastructure, academic personnel, and administrative capacity required to deliver quality education.

The issue has also drawn the attention of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), which has raised concerns about foreign institutions establishing unrecognized satellite campuses in Nigeria. Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, former Director-General of NYSC, warned that such campuses create complications for verifying degrees and pose challenges in the eligibility of graduates for the national youth service program.

In line with the new directive, stakeholders in the education sector are expected to prioritize strengthening and improving the standard of their existing institutions. The Ministry of Education reaffirmed its commitment to working with regulatory agencies to ensure that any future expansion of campus operations strictly adheres to national standards and approval processes.

With this development, the federal government has drawn a clear line in the sand, signaling that the days of unregulated campus expansion are over. Institutions are now expected to channel efforts into quality, not quantity, and focus on delivering excellence in education responsibly and transparently.