The Federal Government has formally launched the implementation phase of a landmark reform allowing Colleges of Education in Nigeria to independently run both the National Certificate in Education (NCE) and degree programmes without university affiliation.

Speaking at the National Summit held in Abuja on Tuesday, August 19, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa-represented by the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad described the initiative as “a historic milestone in Nigeria’s educational development.”

“For the first time in our history, our Colleges of Education have been legally empowered to run NCE and degree programmes concurrently in teacher education disciplines,” she said, citing the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act No. 43 of 2023.

The minister explained that the reform builds on decades of experience and competence demonstrated by the institutions.

“The dual-mandate system now grants them full legislative and operational authority to expand their academic offerings while preserving their core mission of producing highly skilled and professional teachers,” she added.

Prof. Paulinus Chijioke Okwelle, Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), described the reform as “historic,” noting that it would revitalise teacher education and expand access for student-teachers.

“For decades, Colleges of Education partnered with universities to offer degrees. Today, with full legislative backing, they now have the autonomy to do so directly, leveraging their own manpower, infrastructure, and academic expertise,” Okwelle said.

He highlighted the benefits of the dual mandate, including the production of graduates with both NCE and B.Ed qualifications, a steady supply of qualified teachers, and the retention of skilled educators within the system.

Chairman of the House Committee on Federal Colleges of Education, Hon. Adamu Tanko, assured stakeholders that “the value of the degree awarded by the Colleges of Education will be equivalent to those conferred by conventional universities across the country.”

The Ministry of Education pledged continued support through policy guidelines, technical assistance, and resource mobilisation to ensure successful implementation.

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The Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku, has reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to the advancement of education in the Niger Delta region.

Ogbuku gave the assurance while receiving the Vice Chancellor of Wigwe University, Professor Marwan Al-Akaidi, and his team during a courtesy visit to the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, on Friday and sent to newsmen.

The NDDC boss, while welcoming the delegation, emphasised that the interventionist agency has a long-standing tradition of supporting educational institutions across the region through infrastructure development and scholarship programmes.

The statement partly reads, “It is not new for NDDC to support universities; it is something we have been doing consistently. We have built hostels, classrooms, provided furniture, computers, and more. We believe in supporting the best within the region.”

He acknowledged the establishment of Wigwe University as a significant addition to the region’s educational landscape, describing it as a top-tier institution with world-class facilities.

According to him, this aligns with NDDC’s mission to uplift the Niger Delta through strategic educational investments.

Ogbuku added, “For us in NDDC, partnering with Wigwe University is something we can do with joy because the people who will benefit from the university are largely from the region. We welcome you and thank you for trusting us.

He further announced that NDDC was set to launch a local postgraduate scholarship scheme and assured that Wigwe University would be considered as one of the beneficiary institutions.

“We believe that if our students cannot go abroad, at the very least, they should receive the best education within Nigeria, and Wigwe University stands out in that regard,” he added.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of Wigwe University, Prof. Marwan Al-Akaidi, expressed appreciation to the Commission for its continuous education support.

He stated that the visit was aimed at initiating a long-term partnership with the NDDC built on mutual growth and regional development.

He remarked, “Our vision is to build an institution that is not only the best in Nigeria but also competitive across Africa and globally. To do this, we are seeking support in key infrastructure areas such as solar street lighting and water supply, and we hope

“Wigwe University can also be a destination for students under your scholarship scheme.”

Al-Akaidi underscored the importance of the University’s location in the Niger Delta and how NDDC’s intervention would not only enhance learning but also improve the quality of life in the host community.

“We are confident that the NDDC, as a champion of educational advancement, will support us not only in manpower development but in infrastructure that enables world-class learning,” the VC added.

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The Federal Government has approved the establishment of nine new private universities across the country.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, announced the approval on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

He said the newly approved institutions are:

1. Tazkiyah University, Kaduna State
2. Leadership University, Abuja
3. Jimoh Babalola University, Kwara State
4. Bridget University, Mbaise, Imo State
5. Greenland University, Jigawa State
6. JEFAP University, Niger State
7. Azione Verde University, Imo State
8. Unique Open University, Lagos State
9. American Open University, Ogun State.

Alausa disclosed that the Tinubu administration inherited 551 pending requests for the establishment of tertiary institutions, which were subjected to stricter approval guidelines.

This, he said, reduced the list to 79 active applications, out of which nine were cleared on Wednesday.

He explained that many of the approved universities had been awaiting accreditation for over six years, with their promoters having already built campuses and invested billions of naira.

“Due to inefficiencies within the NUC, approvals were delayed. We have since introduced reforms to streamline these processes, and today’s approvals are a result of clearing this backlog,” Alausa said.

The minister added that the Federal Government had placed a moratorium on new applications for private universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, except those meeting the new operational standards.

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