The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has called for a revamp of university funding, advocating that the National Universities Commission (NUC) should oversee budgets in addition to its regulatory role.
In an interview with Laolu Akande, Oloyede argued that allowing individual universities to lobby the National Assembly for funding encourages favoritism, rather than a structured, needs-based allocation.
“When the NUC managed university budgets, funding was based on student numbers and institutional needs, not personal influence,” he explained. He noted that during that period, capital development funding was higher, but today, universities allocate excessive funds to support staff instead.
Oloyede suggested a model where universities receive funding per student quota, ensuring a fairer distribution of resources. He also criticised the proliferation of universities, arguing that Nigeria should expand and strengthen existing institutions rather than creating new ones as political compensation.
His remarks have sparked discussions on university autonomy and funding efficiency, raising questions about whether the NUC should regain full control over tertiary education budgets.
