The Senate has directed its committees and the Clerk to suspend the processing of bills seeking the establishment of new universities and other tertiary institutions, in line with the Federal Government’s policy.

The Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, announced the directive during plenary on Wednesday, urging lawmakers to comply with the government’s decision to halt the establishment of additional tertiary institutions.

Bamidele said the policy was intended to strengthen existing universities and other institutions before considering the creation of new ones.

He urged the Clerk of the Senate to communicate the directive to lawmakers and advised relevant committees, particularly those overseeing education, against presenting bills for new institutions for consideration.

The Senate Leader acknowledged that lawmakers sometimes found it difficult to turn down requests from colleagues seeking support for the establishment of universities and other tertiary institutions.

Supporting the directive, Senate President Godswill Akpabio said President Bola Tinubu had discussed the matter with the leadership of the National Assembly and expressed opposition to establishing new universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions for the next five to seven years.

According to Akpabio, the moratorium would allow existing institutions to develop their infrastructure and commence effective academic operations.

He noted that some recently established universities existed largely on paper, with several yet to acquire permanent sites or complete the necessary site-clearance processes.

The Senate President stressed that establishing a university was a major national responsibility, arguing that such institutions should not be created with the same ease as primary schools.

He added that universities were national institutions expected to admit students from across the country, irrespective of their geographical locations.

Akpabio said the Federal Government had made efforts to ensure the geographical spread of universities across the country, making it necessary to consolidate existing investments.

He consequently directed the Clerk to ensure that bills seeking the establishment of new tertiary institutions were no longer listed for consideration.

The Senate adjourned plenary until November 10, 2026, at 11 a.m.