A Ticking Time Bomb’ — Alausa Decries 2m Candidates Jostling For 500,000 Admission Slots
By Olumuyiwa Olumuyiwa
Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has lamented how the number of candidates seeking admission to universities across the nation has steadily risen over the years without commensurate increase in the available slots.
Alausa noted that more than two million qualified candidates jostle for fewer than 500,000 university spaces yearly.
The minister spoke on Friday at the 65th anniversary celebration of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun state, where he delivered a lecture titled ‘65 Years of Excellence: Obafemi Awolowo University and the Future of Higher Education in Nigeria’.
While decrying the development, Alausa described the situation as a “ticking time bomb”
“Nigeria has over 200 universities, but our carrying capacity is far below demand. Over 2 million qualified candidates apply for less than 500,000 university spaces annually. This is a ticking time bomb,” he said.
Alausa also highlighted what he described as a mismatch between university training and labour market needs.
“There is a gap between what our universities teach and what the economy needs. Many graduates leave with certificates but without critical thinking, digital skills, or entrepreneurial competence,” he said.
“Our best lecturers and brightest graduates are leaving in droves for Europe, North America and the Gulf. This is a hemorrhage of talent.”
Alausa raised concerns about the persistent underfunding of the education sector, noting that government allocations have remained significantly below international recommendations, with implications for infrastructure, research and access to higher education.
“Federal allocations to education have historically hovered between 5 per cent and 8 per cent of the national budget—far below the UNESCO-recommended 15-20 per cent. As a result, infrastructure decays, laboratories lack equipment, and libraries cannot subscribe to modern journals,” he said.
“Nigeria spends less than 0.2 per cent of GDP on R&D. In contrast, Israel spends over 4 per cent, South Korea nearly 5 per cent. We cannot engineer a future with that kind of investment.”
Despite the challenges, Alausa expressed optimism about the future of higher education in the country, citing the capacity of Nigerian universities to drive solutions.
He said the federal government had introduced measures aimed at improving access to education, including the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND).
Alausa added that the government was implementing the revised National Policy on Education as part of efforts to strengthen the sector and improve learning outcomes.
The minister urged the management of OAU to sustain the legacy of excellence already established in the university and continue leading innovation in higher education.
The institution was established in 1961 as the University of Ife and later renamed after the first premier of the western region, Obafemi Awolowo, following the death of the politicians in 1987.
