The House of Representatives Committee on University Education has initiated a formal probe into nine federal universities located in Nigeria’s South-West geopolitical zone, citing significant financial irregularities in their accounting records. According to Punch, the committee’s oversight exercise exposed inconsistencies in how institutions report internally generated revenue and expenditure, leading to directives for vice-chancellors to appear before lawmakers and provide detailed explanations. The investigation focuses on the period covering the 2024, 2025, and 2026 fiscal years.
Committee Chairman Abubakar Fulata stated that the on-the-spot assessments revealed a lack of transparency and strict non-compliance with the Appropriation Act. He highlighted specific contradictions in the financial documents submitted by the universities, noting that some institutions reported spending more than they claimed to have generated. "You claimed to have generated N9bn and spent N10bn," Fulata told the institutions, according to Punch. He further questioned the source of the deficit, asking, "Where did you get the N1bn from?" In other instances, he noted that universities reported generating N12bn but only spending N8bn, leaving a N4bn balance unaccounted for.
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) was singled out for immediate scrutiny. Punch reported that the committee directed Vice-Chancellor Prof. Folasade Ogunsola to submit comprehensive budget details and appear before the panel the following week. This directive follows an alleged N7.1bn excess in the university’s 2024 and 2025 financial records. During the committee’s visit, Ogunsola was unavailable, and her representatives failed to adequately explain the discrepancy or provide the requested additional information. The committee also ordered the management of Obafemi Awolowo University, Federal University Oye-Ekiti, Federal University of Technology Akure, and Federal University of Health Sciences Ila-Orangun to update their records and submit reports on budget implementation.
Fulata emphasized that public institutions must account for all funds, whether allocated by the government or generated internally, to ensure the quality of tertiary education is not undermined by administrative shortcomings. He acknowledged the political pressures facing National Assembly members ahead of the 2027 general elections but insisted that constitutional oversight responsibilities must not be neglected. The committee also urged all university authorities to adhere to the federal character principle in staff recruitment and student admissions to ensure equitable representation. Other institutions visited during the exercise included the University of Ibadan, Adeyemi Federal University of Education, and the Federal University of Agriculture and Development Studies in Iragbiji.